The DC animated universe is fantastic. Bruce Timm has been masterminding gold standard animation for nearly two decades, and his crew is finally taking on one of the most important Batman stories ever told, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

This epic two-part animated event has already been officially announced, but The Hollywood Reporter has announced the principle voice cast:

Peter Weller (Robocop) will star as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Modern Family’s middle child Ariel Winter will play Robin… Also in the cast are David Selby, the veteran actor who starred in the original Dark Shadows soap opera as well as the classic 1980s soap Falcon Crest; Wade Williams (Prison Break) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face; and Michael McKean as Dr. Wolper, the psychiatrist who releases the Joker from the insane asylum.

Fan favorite Michael Ironside played the role in a classic episode of Batman: The Animated Series that payed homage to the seminal story. While it would have been nice symmetry to have him back, Peter Weller is an amazing choice for the role.

The story is being split into two animated features, the first of which will be hitting shelves later this year, followed by the second part in early 2013.

This past weekend Cartoon Network aired a one-hour special showcasing their next DC animated series, Green Lantern. Cartoon Network has a long history of eclectic and generally fantastic shows based on DC characters, and 2012 looks to be a banner year for Warner’s Super Hero stable.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series begins with this new special, setting up a  plot that sees Hal and Kilowog in deep “frontier space” fighting against the Red Lanterns. The show itself will air regularly in 2012 as a marquee show in Carton Network’s new DC Nation programming. It joins Young Justice and a slew of shorts, news and other fun DC tidbits next year.

The most interesting thing about this series is that for the first time ever a Bruce Timm produced show is animated in full CG. Timm’s artistic style is clearly the inspiration for the designs and despite the full CG animation there is clearly an effort to make this show fit alongside the others in the pantheon of Timm-verse shows.

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While New York Comic Con had tons of scoops and news hit over the weekend, one bit of news that both fans of comics AND animation were eager to hear about was more on Cartoon Network’s upcoming Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

Unlike the rest of the DC animated series to cross paths with Cartoon Network, this one is a bit different, as it’s animated using CG, rather than cell animation. Here’s info from the official release.

As Earth’s Green Lantern, Hal Jordan is used to being in dangerous situations — but he’s never faced anything like this! Set at the farthest reaches of deep space, Green Lantern: The Animated Series finds Hal on the Guardian Frontier, where he must face down an invasion by the Red Lantern Corps.

Powered by pure rage, the evil Red Lanterns have sworn to destroy the Green Lantern Corps and everything they stand for. Dispatched on the experimental spacecraft The Interceptor, Hal is soon joined by an all-new group of heroes on a mission to protect Guardian Space — and the Green Lantern Corps itself!

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I’m going to go out on a limb and say Castle and Firefly star Nathan Fillion likes comic books. Did you see this week’s episode of Castle which aired on Monday night?

If not, take my word for it, the guy likes comics. That probably explains why he’s joining the cast of the latest Warner Bros. animated opus Justice League: Doom to reprise his role as Green Lantern.

He’s not the only one either. Tim Daly will also be returning to once again take on the role of Superman in the new project. Good times.

Here’s the scoop on the new movie:

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid’s much-heralded “JLA: Tower of Babel.”

Fortunately for fans, Fillion and Daly won’t be alone in the cast. Also returning are Kevin Conroy as Batman, Michael Rosenbaum as Flash, Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman and Carl Lumbly as J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter.

Warner Home Video will premiere the Justice League: Doom trailer during New York Comic Con on Friday, October 14. Look for the full film to be released early next year.

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We’ve already brought you the first stills and first trailer from Warner Premiere’s upcoming animated film Batman: Year One. Now, we’re pleased to be able to bring you the first full clip from the movie for your animated Batman enjoyment.

In the clip, we get further evidence that even though this doesn’t have the big budget of the next Chris Nolan Batman, Warner is still taking this very seriously. In short, it looks pretty awesome.

Here’s the scoop on the film:

Batman: Year One is based on the 1987 comic from Frank Miller and illustrator David Mazzucchelli. The film depicts young Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham City in his first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante. The playboy billionaire chooses the guise of a giant bat to combat crime, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon (who is already battling corruption from inside the police department), inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a crooked political system that infests Gotham.

Like I said, awesome. Adding to that awesome even more is the great cast assembled to do the voices for the film, which includes Bryan Cranston (Gordon), Ben McKenzie (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Eliza Dushku (Catwoman) and Katee Sackhoff (Detective Essen). The film arrives October 18 on Blu-ray, On Demand and for Download.

Check out the scene after the break.

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With Comic-Con in San Diego kicking off today Warner Bros. Animation took the opportunity to release a little preview for their upcoming show Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

The preview, courtesy of AOL TV, gives us a look at the Bruce Timm-produced show which follows the continuing adventures of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps as they continue their mission to defend the galaxy, and especially Earth, from a host of threats bent on its destruction.

“Set at the farthest reaches of deep space, Hal must face down an invasion from the Red Lantern Corps. Hal is soon joined by an all-new group of heroes on a mission to protect Guardian Space — and the Green Lantern Corps itself.”

The series stars the voices of Josh Keaton, Michael Clarke Duncan, Richard Green and Robert Englund. It’s set to launch on Cartoon Network next year.

In the meantime, check out the preview after the jump.

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A few months ago, Conan O’Brien did a segment where he sat down with DC Animation honcho Bruce Timm and worked out the ideal look for Conan if he were a superhero in the DC Universe. That product was named The Flaming C.

On Monday, the folks at Warner Premiere (The studio behind DC’s animated series/films) went a step further and drew The Flaming C into an episode of Cartoon Network’s upcoming series Young Justice.

The scene is basically the same, with Flaming C just drawn over Superman. It even keeps the same voice from the original. Nevertheless, it’s still pretty cool to see Conan’s creation animated, fishnets and all.

Check out the clip after the jump, and catch the return of Young Justice on January 21st.

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Conan has been on fire since his debut on TBS a little over a month ago. With A-list guests, top quality sketches, and the same level of energy that got us all to fall in love with him back on Late Night, Conan has absolutely taken over the late night airwaves again thanks to his funny pals at TBS.

Many know, but for those who don’t, Conan is shot on the Warner Bros. lot, which is where some of the best films and best DC Entertainment properties we’ve come to adore today.

Conan stopped by the DC animation studio to get down to a few classic (and classically bad) DC heroes and villains. Not only did he dig up some not-so-fashionable skeletons in DC’s closet, he even got animation guru Bruce Timm to draw a hero based on O’Brien himself.

Check out the full video after the jump, and catch Conan on TBS every weeknight at 11pm.

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DC’s Animated Original Movie department has been on an absolute roll in the past few years. With amazing stand alone films like Justice League: New Frontier, Batman: Under The Red Hood, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, there are very few stories that Bruce Timm and his animators won’t tackle in a 75 minute animated film.

It looks like that trend is continuing with their next film, based on Grant Morrison’s elseworlds story about our favorite Kryptonian in All-Star Superman. Not only will the story be one of the most mature and heavy plots told in this format, but casting director Andrea Romano is sparing no expense on the cast as well. Fans get the voices of stars the voices of James Denton (Desperate Housewives) as Superman, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) as Lois Lane and Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) as Lex Luthor.

The DVD and Blu-Ray is set to hit stores on February 22nd, but you can check out a complete list of the features on both releases, as well as the beautiful box art after the jump. Stay tuned as we bring you some great coverage of the animated film soon, as well!

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This week may mark the time when fanboys and fangirls recover from last week’s Comic-Con, but it also marks a pretty big week for fans of DC Studios, and more specifically, their animated DVD division. On Tuesday, the studio released their next film in the continuing direct-to-DVD film series in an adaptation of Judd Winick’s Batman: Under The Red Hood.

Much like many of the other DC animated films, this story follows very close to the source material, with a few tweaks to allow a 70 minute film to flow nicely. That also means that this is one of the darkest films that the studio has done to date, with plenty of death and violence. The film is definitely a must for any fan of the franchise or comics in general.

We got a chance to speak with DC Animation guru and producer of the film Bruce Timm about this and a few upcoming projects including All-Star Superman, Batman: Year One, and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Also, we spoke with voice director Andrea Romano about casting Bruce Greenwood as this film’s Batman and Futurama’s John DiMaggio as The Joker.

Check out the full interview after the jump, and keep it here all week for more interviews with the cast of Batman: Under The Red Hood.

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Though the announcement of DC Entertainment last week has turned a few heads in the world of comics and film, the plan for DC’s animated DVD features has stayed strong since the first release of Superman: Doomsday back in 2007. It looks like the next film for DC’s animation department looks to be taking a different direction, as they take on a Crisis on Multiple Earths storyline.

The next film in the works is based on the Jeph Loeb Superman/Batman: Public Enemies story arc, which hits DVD shelves September 29th. On the DVD is a special feature showing the details of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. From a Warner Bros. press release:

Warner Home Video will distribute in Spring 2010 (finalizing date soon)

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With DC’s animated division releasing Green Lantern: First Flight later this year, the marketing for the next direct-to-DVD film is already starting up. This time, the focus will shift on the world’s finest, as Superman and Batman take on Lex Luthor in an adaptation of Jeph Loeb’s Public Enemies story arc. From a Warner Home Video Press Release:

The movie reunites the lead voices of Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor from the landmark “Superman: The Animated Series” and “Batman: The Animated Series”. Tim Daly (Private Practice), Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League) and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption) reprise their roles as Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor, respectively.

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