August 2008

With the current DC Universe Animated Original Movie direct-to-video Batman: Gotham Knight animated feature selling over 310,000 copies in the first two weeks, Warner Home Video is already looking ahead to their next release in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie brand, Wonder Woman, released through the Warner Premiere imprint. Arguably the most anticipated release in the still young line of home entertainment releases, the upcoming direct-to-video Wonder Woman animated feature is the first of at least two releases next year, possibly three.

While each title may come highly anticipated by the core fans, each title has to be a proven seller upon release in order to keep the direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movie line a success. Not counting hi-def or legal downloads, Superman Doomsday sold over 400,000 copies in the first two weeks, with Justice League: The New Frontier accumulating 225,000 and Batman: Gotham Knight reaching 310,000 in the same timeframe, proving the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line is currently a success. With buzz about the possibility of a live-action Wonder Woman movie still on the horizon, and the legion of fans from both the 1970s Wonder Woman live-action series and comic series, Warner Home Video is hoping for similar success with the release of the upcoming direct-to-video Wonder Woman animated feature. According to Bruce Timm, producer behind the upcoming Wonder Woman, and the three previous releases under the DC Universe Animated Original Movie umbrella, each title needs to sell a few hundred thousand copies in the first few weeks to keep the line viable and successful.

This is why fans can expect to see DC’s proven A-List heroes headline the majority of these releases as opposed to the lesser known characters. There will be at least two more long-form Batman-themed releases under the DC Universe Animated Original Movie name, with the possibility of using the banner name to revisit previous established properties, such as Justice League Unlimited. Timm has gone on record saying there’s a good chance fans will be seeing Justice League: World’s Collide, the script by Dwayne McDuffie that bridged the popular Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series. However, fans should not be looking forward to Teen Titans: The Judas Contract anytime soon, as that project has been put on indefinite hold for the foreseeable future. Lack of fan support remains the key issue in Teen Titans: The Judas Contract remaining on the backburner.

At least one more DC Universe Animated Original Movie title is planned for next year, after the release of Wonder Woman, with further information to come along shortly. The release can neither be revealed nor confirmed at this time.

The next title, the direct-to-video Wonder Woman animated feature, premieres February 2009 on DVD, Blu-Ray, and OnDemand. Stay tuned for further updates.

Discussion Threads:
–The Official “Wonder Woman” Animated Feature News & Discussion Thread (Spoilers)
–The Official Upcoming DC Animated DTV News & Discussion Thread (Spoilers)