"Batman Beyond" or "Batman of the Future"

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

Although I have the complete series of Batman Beyond on DVD, I was flipping through my cable TV On-Demand listings and saw that they had a few episodes under the KidsWB menu. So, out of convenience, I ordered an episode and proceeded to watch it with my son.

What took me by surprise, though, was that in the opening title sequence where the title "Batman Beyond" usually pops up, it instead had "Batman of the Future" in its place. I had heard of this title before, but I've never seen it before. Does anyone know why this alternate title sequence exists? Was it made exclusively for television markets outside the U.S.? Why would it be used on U.S. cable networks?



*Also, in a related note, I just read tonight [on a site that cannot be named] that Batman Beyond, as well as Superman Beyond, will be making appearances in the June released issue of the Superman/Batman Annual. In that same month, the first issue of a new Batman Beyond series will also be released.

[Generator James]

This is definitly a conundrum. I hate the title "Batman of The Future" though. & Who on god's green earth is "Superman Beyond"? Is he the same thing as Batman Beyond(New kid on the block takes the role as hero) but with Superman instead?

[seryass]

I seem to remember that the title change was specifically for countries outside the U.S. but I could be wrong. If that's the case it doesn't explain why it's on a U.S. network though. Regardless of the title's origins I always detested the change in title as it just sounds incredibly stupid. Batman Beyond was a perfectly good title and very apt so I've no idea why they did change it.

Whilst we're on the topic of Batman Beyond I do have a quick question for any fellow fans in the UK. The first time I saw the series was when they released the first three episodes as a compilation tape which I no longer have since I now own the DVD box sets. The compilation tapes, usually comprising series beginnings or finales, were quite the norm for DCAU shows over here and for some reason during the Batman Beyond compilation title I seem to remember at the end of the intro titles there was a male whispering voice saying "Batman Beyond". Can anyone confirm this or am I misremembering it?

[TemporalFlux]

The title change is a probably a similar situation to the alleged Chevy Nova (which, according to legend, amazed Spanish consumers as they translated the advertisement to read "Chevy No Go").

[tenderheartbear]

I've just checked the VHS release here in the UK of Batman Beyond (The Movie), I certainly can't hear any difference and have compared it to the R1 DVD releases.

For some reason, the tape retains the 'Beyond' moniker both on the cover and on screen, whereas the action figure line, the show on TV and the rest of the usual merchandise all had 'Of The Future' on it, go figure!

[ShadowStar]

Here, the first two episodes were released as 'Batman Beyond: the movie' (as tenderheartbear said). However, when the show aired on TV, it aired as 'Batman of the Future' (on both ITV and CN/Toonami), and I think all other video releases for the series used that title as well.

[W.C.Reaf]

Here, the first two episodes were released as 'Batman Beyond: the movie' (as tenderheartbear said). However, when the show aired on TV, it aired as 'Batman of the Future' (on both ITV and CN/Toonami), and I think all other video releases for the series used that title as well.

Yeah, I think everything in the UK after the initial 'movie' (first two episodes put together) came out everything was called "of the Future" and not "Beyond".

It gets annoying when I'm talking to friends about the series and they get confused when I say "Batman Beyond" but when I describe it they go "Oh Batman of the Future".

I think they just changed the name so it'll be something simpler that describes the series.

[Master Toon]

I guess the only thing to say is that "of the Future" is something used outside of the States.


Yeah, I think everything in the UK after the initial 'movie' (first two episodes put together) came out everything was called "of the Future" and not "Beyond".

It gets annoying when I'm talking to friends about the series and they get confused when I say "Batman Beyond" but when I describe it they go "Oh Batman of the Future".

I think they just changed the name so it'll be something simpler that describes the series.

You guys should find some common ground and refer to it as Batman: The Future and Beyond. lol. (I'm just kidding... sort of.)

[mgr91686]

I guess the only thing to say is that "of the Future" is something used outside of the States.



You guys should find some common ground and refer to it as Batman: The Future and Beyond. lol. (I'm just kidding... sort of.)

How about "The Once and Future Batman"? That just screams epic to me...

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

Who on god's green earth is "Superman Beyond"? Is he the same thing as Batman Beyond(New kid on the block takes the role as hero) but with Superman instead?

I would imagine "Superman Beyond" is nothing more than the older Superman that we've seen in the episodes that featured the future Justice League Unlimited.

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Yeah over here in the UK it was called Batman of the Future. We do lame stuff like that over here. Like on channel 4 they show Smallville as Smallville: Superman the Early Years.

[adoptedBatpuppy]

This is definitly a conundrum. I hate the title "Batman of The Future" though. & Who on god's green earth is "Superman Beyond"? Is he the same thing as Batman Beyond(New kid on the block takes the role as hero) but with Superman instead?

Superman Beyond can be:
Lois and Clark had a kid, or an older superman, a clone of some sort, another being from Krypton, or anything is possible....:p

I'm super excited for Batman Beyond Comic Book series. I hope it is good!

I heard that in other countries American shows get renamed or change titles. That makes it easier for people who speak different languages, myself included. I guess that's what happened with Batman Beyond, too.
It's not a big deal, it is still the same show! :sweat:

[ABrown]

I didn't believe this could possibly be true, so I had to go OnDemand and check for myself. Sure enough, "Batman Of The Future." Very strange, very very strange.

[Michael24]

In 1998, my brother and I met Kevin Conroy when he made an appearance at our local Warner Bros. Store. Afterward, my brother said Conroy told him that he was working on a new Batman series to premiere in 1999, and I recall him saying it was Batman of the Future (meaning Conroy had used that title when telling my brother.) But perhaps it was simply a working title at that point, and it was later decided to keep that title for the UK release of the show.

[Ethereal]

Yes, Bruce Timm confirmed that "Batman of the Future" was a working title - following "Batman Tomorrow", but preceding "Batman Beyond".

"Batman of the Future" does sound more in sync with conventional British/International English.

If you asked Alfred Pennyworth or Klarion the Witch Boy to watch "Batman Beyond", they would most likely ask: "Batman Beyond WHAT? The Horizon? The Grave??"

It's reminiscent of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" transforming into "Harry Potter and the SORCERER'S Stone" for the American market.

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

Yes, Bruce Timm confirmed that "Batman of the Future" was a working title - following "Batman Tomorrow", but preceding "Batman Beyond".



LOL! I had forgotten about "Batman Tomorrow" --

I remember either reading or hearing Bruce Timm say something about how when they were considering that title they thought it might only confuse viewers if they used it, because anyone who saw the television commercials for the show would hear the voice over announcer say "Batman... Tomorrow... on KidsWB" and everyone would go "Tomorrow? What time tomorrow?"

[tmnachobat]

In latin america and in spain batman beyond is called "Batman del Futuro" ( "batman of the future")

I think this makes it more logical to countries were titles are changed and Batman of the future makes more logic due the fact that this is a batman from the future.

"Batman of the future" is a title that gives you more information of what the toon is about, remember that toons are not so poular or longlasting than in usa, you have conventions and all that stuff, you have a bigger market and culture when it comes to cartoons while the rest of the countries only have those toons on tv.