Batwheels
Promotional poster
Genre
Based on
Developed byMichael G. Stern
Voices of
Theme music composerAndy Sturmer
ComposerAlex Geringas
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes42
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Steven Fink
  • Caroline Kermel
AnimatorSuperprod Animation[1]
Running time10–33 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCartoon Network
ReleaseSeptember 17, 2022 (2022-09-17) –
present

Batwheels is an American animated superhero children's television series that premiered on September 17, 2022, on HBO Max. It made its linear premiere on October 17, 2022 on Cartoon Network's preschool block Cartoonito.[2] A second season premiered in January 2024.

Plot

The Bat-Family's vehicles are brought to life by the Batcomputer to form the "Batwheels", a team led by the Batmobile or "Bam", to fight crime in Gotham City.

Characters

The Batwheels

  • The Batmobile / Bam (voiced by Jacob Bertrand) - The insecure leader of the Batwheels.[3]
  • Redbird / Red (voiced by Jordan Reed in season one and Titus Blake in season two) - Robin's car and the youngest of the Batwheels.[3]
  • Batgirl Cycle / Bibi (voiced by Madigan Kacmar) - Batgirl's small but impulsive motorcycle.[3]
  • Bat Truck / Buff (voiced by Noah Bentley) - A good-hearted monster truck who serves as the Batwheels' muscle.[3]
  • The Batwing / Batwing / Wing (voiced by Lilimar) - Batman's sophisticated and confident supersonic jet.[3]
  • The Batcomputer / BC (voiced by Kimberly D. Brooks) - The team's trainer, supervisor, dispatcher, and mother figure.[3]
  • M.O.E. (voiced by Mick Wingert) - Short for Mobile Operation Expert, M.O.E. is Batman's kindhearted yet sarcastic robot mechanic.[3]

The Bat-Family

The Legion of Zoom

  • Badcomputer (voiced by SungWon Cho) - An A.I. computer software inside a scoreboard and now in a television who wants to replace the Bat Computer as the most powerful computer on Earth.[6]
  • Crash (voiced by Tom Kenny) - Badcomputer's crash-dummy like robot minion.[6]
  • Prank (voiced by Griffin Burns) - Joker's funny and pranking van.[6]
  • Jestah (voiced by Alexandra Novelle) - Harley Quinn's fun-loving ATV.[6]
  • Ducky (voiced by Ariyan Kassam) - Penguin's mischief-causing duck on a boat with wheels vehicle.[6]
  • Quizz (voiced by Josey Montana McCoy) - Riddler's quiz-loving helicopter.[6]
  • Snowy (voiced by Xolo Maridueña) - Mr. Freeze's bad but gentle snow crawler who is also Buff's friend.[6]

Minor

  • Kitty (voiced by Kinza Khan) - Catwoman's playful cat car who likes to have fun.
  • Goldie (voiced by Chandni Parekh) - Green Arrow's arrowplane who is Batwing's flying friend.
  • A.D.A.M (voiced by Adam West with archived dialogue) - Batman's early Batmobile.
  • Nightbike (voiced by Nick Fisher) - Nightwing's motorcycle.

Episodes

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
137September 17, 2022 (2022-09-17)September 16, 2023 (2023-09-16)
2TBAJanuary 12, 2024 (2024-01-12)TBA

Season 1 (2022–23)

All episodes were directed by Antoine Charreyron.

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [7][8]Written byOriginal air date [7][8]Max release date [7]Prod.
code [7]		U.S. viewers
(millions)
11"Secret Origin of the Batwheels"Michael G. SternOctober 15, 2022 (2022-10-15)September 17, 20221010.10[9]
After Batman, Robin, and Batgirl foil a group villain robbery effort, the three heroes are taken away in a limousine. Unfortunately, this leaves them unavailable to deal with a break-in at the Batcave forcing M.O.E. and the Batcomputer to take drastic measures.
22"Stop That Ducky"Michael G. SternOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022102N/A
A disastrous attempt at stopping Ducky leads to the Batwheels nominating Bam as team leader, but his failed attempts to use Batman's leadership style make him realize that some things only work when done in a more personalized method.
33"Buff's BFF"Craig FernandezOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022103N/A
A mission to catch Mr. Freeze results in Buff befriending the villain's vehicle, Snowy, and the pair quickly hit it off. However, the other Batwheels are skeptical about the Zoomer's good side, and the Bat Truck has to teach his teammates that even criminals can be good at heart.
44"Up in the Air"Patrick RiegerOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022104N/A
The Penguin hijacks every television channel to broadcast his own show, but a bad decision resulting in Wing crash-landing and Batman getting captured causes Bam to lose confidence in himself.
55"Bibi's Do-Over"Sarah Eisenberg & Becky WangbergOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022105N/A
After a slip-up during a mission to catch Toyman, Bibi becomes dead set on perfecting her jump, but she eventually learns that it doesn't matter if she looks bad as long as the mission at hand is accomplished.
66"Sidekicked to the Curb"Michael G. SternOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022106N/A
Disappointed in being left behind, Redbird tails Bam as he takes Batman and Robin to apprehend the Joker and Prank, with both learning that even great heroes need a partner at their side.
77"Keep Calm and Roll On"Michael G. SternOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022107N/A
Bibi's temper gets the better of her when Jestah and Harley mock her capabilities, causing her to lose control. With the help of the others, she learns that the best thing to do is to keep calm and take a deep breath under stress.
88"Bam's Upgrade"Michael G. SternOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022108N/A
Fed up with being overshadowed by the others on mission outings, Bam has himself upgraded to convince Batman to take him out, but the upgrades prove to hamper their mission of catching Toyman.
99"Redbird's Bogus Beach Day"Sarah Eisenberg & Becky WangbergNovember 7, 2022 (2022-11-07)November 8, 2022109N/A
A trip to the beach gets interrupted when the Joker sets out to turn off the lighthouse light and crash a ship, forcing Batman, Robin, Bam, and Redbird to take action.
1010"Cave Sweet Cave"Craig FernandezNovember 7, 2022 (2022-11-07)November 8, 2022110N/A
After a large Joker water balloon ends up flooding the Batcave, the Batwheels are forced to temporarily stay at a parking garage until it dries out, a situation which none of them are happy with.
1111"Scaredy-Bat"Andrew GuastaferroNovember 14, 2022 (2022-11-14)November 8, 2022111N/A
Bam has to learn to take the high road after Prank continues goading him into reckless actions, before things take a turn for the worse.
1212"Riddle Me This"Ryan ToyamaNovember 14, 2022 (2022-11-14)November 8, 2022112N/A
With Quiz up to no good, the other Batwheels have to find him and stop his plan, but Redbird's inability to speak up for himself ends up putting the entire mission at risk.
1313"Zoomsday"Ryan ToyamaNovember 21, 2022 (2022-11-21)November 22, 2022[lower-alpha 1]113N/A
Having had enough of losing to the Batwheels, the Legion of Zoom decides to try the one tactic that leaves the Batwheels victorious every time: teamwork.
1414"Rev and Let Rev"Janae HallNovember 21, 2022 (2022-11-21)November 22, 2022[lower-alpha 1]114N/A
Feeling left out that he can't rev his engine as loud as the others, Redbird asks for the removal of his stealth tech, but his new noisy engine ends up foiling Robin's efforts to catch Catwoman.
1515"Batcomputer for a Day"Patrick RiegerNovember 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)November 29, 2022[lower-alpha 1]115N/A
While the Batcomputer recharges, the other Batwheels find that operating the Batcave is much harder than she makes it look, which becomes problematic when they have to help Batman catch Harley Quinn.
1616"Grass is Greener"Patrick RiegerNovember 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)November 29, 2022[lower-alpha 1]116N/A
When Bam brings M.O.E. out on his night patrol, the pair find themselves dealing with Poison Ivy's rampaging plants, and M.O.E. finds fieldwork to be far out of his league.
1717"Holidays on Ice"Scott GrayDecember 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)December 6, 2022117N/A
Frustrated with the other Batwheels getting distracted by the holidays, Batwing decides to go solo to catch Mr. Freeze, but quickly comes to miss the companionship of the others.
1818"Bam's Clawful Mistake"Sarah Eisenberg & Becky WangbergMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)May 2, 20231180.06[10]
Wanting to even out the teams for his newly invented ball game, Bam convinces M.O.E. to bring Catwoman's car to life. Unfortunately, the newcomer quickly becomes a handful.
1919"Harley Did It"Scott GrayMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)May 2, 20231190.07[10]
A robbery with Harley Quinn as the main suspect comes under scrutiny when Bibi and Redbird find clues that don't correlate to her at all, and the pair set out to find the real culprit of the crime.
2020"Buff in a China Shop"Craig CarlisleMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)May 2, 20231200.07[10]
Self-conscious about his tendency to accidentally break everything, Buff begins taking measures to improve his gracefulness so he can help Batman stop the Riddler.
2121"A Tale of Two Bibis"Craig FernandezMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)May 2, 2023121N/A
Bibi ends up in a tight spot due to her impulsive nature and has to think things through when Jestah disguises herself as her to infiltrate the Batcave.
2222"Batty Race"Andrew GuastaferroMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)May 2, 20231220.07[10]
The Gotham Grand Prix ends up having both the Batwheels and the Legion of Zoom as participants after the latter sabotage the original racers, but their cheating ways prove to be difficult obstacles to overcome.
2323"When You're a Jet"Sarah Eisenberg & Becky WangbergJuly 3, 2023 (2023-07-03)July 4, 2023123N/A
Green Arrow visits Gotham and Batwing, ecstatic to have another jet as a friend, brings it to life, but the new best friends have to face the reality that the newcomer has to return with Green Arrow to Star City.
2424"Ride Along"Ryan ToyamaJuly 10, 2023 (2023-07-10)July 11, 2023TBAN/A
After Kitty saves him, Bam has her join him on his night patrol to recruit her potentially, but the playful car is too easily distracted to pay any notice.
2525"Wheels Just Want to Have Fun"Jennifer HeftlerJuly 17, 2023 (2023-07-17)July 18, 2023TBAN/A
Bibi learns the hard way that rules are for safety after Jestah keeps tempting her to have fun by doing so.
2626"Tough Buff Blues"Andrew GuastaferroJuly 24, 2023 (2023-07-24)July 25, 2023TBAN/A
After stalling the Riddler on his latest mission, Buff finds himself uncomfortable after the other Batwheels saddle him with the nickname "Tough Buff", leading him to sit out of the next mission.
2727"Wheel Side Story"Andrew GuastaferroJuly 31, 2023 (2023-07-31)August 1, 2023TBAN/A
A hit from Ducky's latest device leaves all of the Batwheels only able to sing instead of speak, complicating their ways of communicating.
2828"Ace in the Hole"Andrew GuastaferroSeptember 11, 2023 (2023-09-11)September 16, 20231280.04[11]
Buff brings a group of stray dogs into the Batcave to protect them from Catwoman, who wants to lead all of the dogs in Gotham out of the city.
2929"Mechanic Panic"Jennifer HeftlerSeptember 12, 2023 (2023-09-12)September 16, 2023129N/A
Bibi has to help Jestah overcome her fear of mechanics after the Zoomer breaks a wheel while preparing for a tournament.
3030"Improvise My Ride"Sarah Eisenberg & Becky WangbergSeptember 13, 2023 (2023-09-13)September 16, 20231300.06[11]
A nighttime trip to play fetch leads Ace, Bam, and Buff on a mission to stop Poison Ivy from building her own vehicle, but her antics force Buff to improvise after she steals much of his equipment.
3131"Dynamic Du-Oh-No"Andrew GuastaferroSeptember 14, 2023 (2023-09-14)September 16, 20231310.07[11]
Thinking herself to be more than capable of going solo, Wing leaves Buff behind when the two are partnered together to stop Jestah and Snowy, which proves to be a disastrous mistake.
3232"To the Batmobile!"Craig FernandezSeptember 15, 2023 (2023-09-15)September 16, 20231320.06[11]
Bam is forced to rely on A.D.A.M., Batman's first Batmobile, to help rescue the other Batwheels from the Legion of Zoom, and both Batmobiles learn that each of their methods have their own merits.
3333"The Dark Night"Ryan ToyamaNovember 6, 2023 (2023-11-06)September 16, 2023133N/A
A city-wide blackout caused by Poison Ivy forces Bam to face his fear of the dark, hampering his efforts in helping Batman.
3434"License to Joke"Craig FernandezNovember 7, 2023 (2023-11-07)September 16, 2023134N/A
On his first solo patrol, Redbird goes undercover to find the man behind several scooters becoming able to drive on their own, but has to learn that going solo doesn't always mean being alone all the time.
3535"Bibi's Bad Day"Scott GrayNovember 8, 2023 (2023-11-08)September 16, 20231350.06[11]
Several mishaps while trying to catch the Joker cause Bibi to lose her motivation, forcing Batgirl to go solo.
3636"A Jet Out of Water"Ryan ToyamaNovember 9, 2023 (2023-11-09)September 16, 20231360.06[11]
The Penguin captures Batman and holds him hostage underwater, and Wing is upgraded so that she can dive under and rescue him. However, her decision to not practice before using her upgrades ends up biting her in the back.
3737"Batty Body Swap"Ryan ToyamaNovember 10, 2023 (2023-11-10)September 16, 20231370.07[11]
The Batwheels swap bodies with each other to prove that they can use each other's specialties, though they quickly find out that they can't, hampering their efforts to stop the Legion of Zoom.

Season 2 (2024)

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [7]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [7]Max release date [7]Prod.
code [7]		U.S. viewers
(millions)
381"Nightbike"Michael BerardiniRyan ToyamaTBAJanuary 12, 2024201TBD
392"Bat-Light Blow-Out"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroTBAJanuary 12, 2024202TBD
403"Kitty's Sleepover"Lila MartinezRyan ToyamaTBAJanuary 12, 2024203TBD
414"Mission: Stuffed Animal"Michael BerardiniPatrick RiegerTBAJanuary 12, 2024204TBD
425"Follow the Bouncing Bam"Vaughn RossEva KonstantopoulosTBAJanuary 12, 2024205TBD

Shorts

No.Title [7][12][8]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [7][12][8]Max release date [7]Prod.
code [7]		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Meet the Batwheels"Michael Berardini and Antoine CharreyronMichael G. SternSeptember 5, 2022 (2022-09-05)October 18, 2022MTB101N/A
2"Calling All Batwheels"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternSeptember 12, 2022 (2022-09-12)October 18, 2022MTB102N/A
3"Bam!"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroSeptember 19, 2022 (2022-09-19)October 18, 2022MTB103N/A
4"Buff Tuff"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroSeptember 26, 2022 (2022-09-26)October 18, 2022MTB104N/A
5"Faster"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroOctober 3, 2022 (2022-10-03)October 18, 2022MTB105N/A
6"Fly"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroOctober 10, 2022 (2022-10-10)October 18, 2022MTB106N/A
7"Spooky Batcave"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)October 18, 2022MTB108N/A
8"Robin's Ride"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroOctober 24, 2022 (2022-10-24)October 18, 2022MTB107N/A
9"Bam's Bubble Trouble"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternOctober 31, 2022 (2022-10-31)October 18, 2022MTB109N/A
10"Wheelin' and Dealin'"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroNovember 21, 2022 (2022-11-21)October 18, 2022MTB110N/A
11"Interview with a Crime Fighter"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternDecember 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)October 18, 2022MTB111N/A
12"The Best Present in the World"Michael Berardini and Antoine CharreyronAndy SturmerDecember 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)December 13, 20221120.06[11]
13"Silly Stowaway"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternJanuary 9, 2023 (2023-01-09)June 16, 2023113N/A
14"The Knight Shift"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroFebruary 13, 2023 (2023-02-13)June 16, 2023114N/A
15"Rockin' Robin"Michael BerardiniMichael G. SternMarch 6, 2023 (2023-03-06)June 16, 2023115N/A
16"Bibi Bops"Michael BerardiniJennifer HeftlerApril 10, 2023 (2023-04-10)June 16, 2023116N/A
17"Batwingin' It"Michael BerardiniJennifer HeftlerMay 15, 2023 (2023-05-15)June 16, 20231170.06[11]
18"Bad to the Chrome"Michael BerardiniN/AJune 5, 2023 (2023-06-05)June 16, 2023118N/A
19"A Joking Matter"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroJuly 3, 2023 (2023-07-03)December 1, 2023119N/A
20"Parking Problems"Michael BerardiniAndrew GuastaferroAugust 7, 2023 (2023-08-07)December 1, 2023120N/A
21"Bat-Surfing"Michael Berardini and Antoine CharreyronN/AAugust 28, 2023 (2023-08-28)December 1, 2023121N/A
22"Bad Day"Michael Berardini and Antoine CharreyronN/ANovember 27, 2023 (2023-11-27)December 1, 2023124N/A
23"Jet Set"Antoine CharreyronN/ANovember 28, 2023 (2023-11-28)December 1, 2023123N/A
24"I'll Be Your Shelter"Antoine CharreyronN/ADecember 5, 2023 (2023-12-05)December 1, 2023122N/A

Production

Development

In October 2020, it was announced that an animated preschool series centered around the Batmobile was in development at Warner Bros. Animation, set to premiere on Cartoon Network's then-upcoming preschool block Cartoonito and HBO Max.[2] According to Tom Ascheim, president of the now-defunct Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, the series was greenlit due to its concept being fit for the studio's focus on preschool projects.[2] Michael G. Stern serves as developer and co-executive producer, with Simon J. Smith as supervising producer, and Steven Fink and Caroline Karmel producing.[13][14] Stern was brought into the project early in development, as WB explored ideas for preschool-oriented DC shows, while Smith was brought after Stern wrote the first scripts for the series.[15] In December 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, with Stern and Smith being promoted to executive producers.[16]

Writing

While writing the series, Stern wanted to avoid "kiddifying" the characters, as he felt children should be introduced to the characters through faithful portrayals and was also requested to respect the characters.[15] For Batman, he wrote the character to stay faithful to most interpretations, with only his violence being toned down.[15] He also wrote the villains with "a lane" that stayed faithful to their classical portrayals while still fitting the target audience, such as portraying Harley Quinn as a fun-loving prankster.[15]

When creating the Batwheels, the writers wanted them to be perceived as "lovable" and "fun" characters for the audience, in order to avoid the children only watching the show for Batman. In order to accomplish this, they tested the personalities for each character with a test group, who received the characters positively.[15] The writers also wanted to avoid portraying the Legion of Zoom as mere copies of their owners, to which they gave each vehicle their own characteristics, such as portraying Prank, the Joker's van, as "a surfer dude".[15]

Music

The series' score was composed by Alex Geringas, while the theme song was performed and produced by Andy Sturmer,[14] who previously composed the themes for the series The Batman and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Sturmer also co-wrote the theme alongside Stern.[14]

Awards and nominations

The show is nominated for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children for the episode "To the Batmobile!" at the 51st Annie Awards.[17]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 This episode was originally released on November 8, 2022, but was removed shortly thereafter.

References

  1. ↑ Idelson, Karen (October 11, 2022). "'Batwheels,' Start Your Engines!". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Zalben, Alex (October 6, 2020). "The Batmobile Is Getting Its Own TV Series". Decider. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "WarnerMedia Announces 'Batwheels' Cast". Animation World Network. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  4. ↑ Weiner, Jonah (October 2011). "Q&A;: Ethan Hawke". Details. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Milligan, Mercedes (October 10, 2022). "NYCC Catch-Up: 'Dragon Prince' S4 Date, Jellico Returns in 'Prodigy,' 'Batwheels' New Characters & More Crunchyroll". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Schreur, Brandon (May 19, 2022). "Batman's Villains Get a Radical Makeover for Batmobile-Starring Batwheels". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Batwheels Episode Listings". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Batwheels Episode Guide". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  9. ↑ Mitch Salem (October 18, 2022). "Saturday 10.15.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Mitch Salem (May 2, 2023). "Monday 5.1.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Batwheels". USTVDB. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Meet the Batwheels Episode Guide". Zap2it. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  13. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (October 6, 2020). "'Batwheels': Warner Bros Animation Revs Up Preschool Series About DC Cars For Cartoon Network & HBO Max". Decider. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 DC Kids (July 23, 2022). Meet The Batwheels | @Cartoonito | @DC Kids. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via YouTube.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hermanns, Grant (October 19, 2022). "Michael G. Stern & Simon J. Smith Interview: Batwheels". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Cartoonito Hits the Gas on Season Two Renewal of Preschool Series "Batwheels" for Cartoon Network and HBO Max" (Press release). Cartoon Network. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022 – via The Futon Critic.
  17. ↑ Flores, Terry (January 11, 2024). "'Nimona' Leads Annie Awards Animated Feature Competition With Nine Noms; Snubs Include 'Wish,' Which Was Shut Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.