HBO Max is getting new animated Batman and Superman shows

HBO Max is getting a pair of new animated DC shows: Batman: The Caped Crusader and My Adventures with Superman, WarnerMedia announced today.

The two shows appear pretty different in tone. The Caped Crusader, coming from a team that includes J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves (the director of the upcoming The Batman), and Bruce Timm (one of the co-creators of the fan-favorite Batman: The Animated Series) promises a noir-ish “reimagining” of the character.

“The series will be thrilling, cinematic and evocative of Batman’s noir roots, while diving deeper into the psychology of these iconic characters,” Abrams, Reeves, and Timm commented in a joint announcement. The teaser poster showcasing the art style for the series seems to back up the darker tone, with a grim-looking Batman (with an old-school pointed ear cowl) staring down at Gotham City.

On the flip side of the thematic coin is My Adventures with Superman, which will follow the 20-something lives of Clark Kent (Jack Quaid), Lois Lane (Alice Lee), and Jimmy Olsen as they collectively start their journalism careers, fall in love, and for Clark, start his burgeoning career as the Man of Steel.

My Adventures with Superman has already been ordered for two seasons and will be executive produced by Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!), Jake Wyatt (Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus), and Brendan Clogher (Voltron: Legendary Defender). And based on the promotional image, expect it to fit in the mode of those more family-friendly animated shows.

The fact that WarnerMedia is looking to expand its animated superhero portfolio isn’t a surprise: the streaming company has already found success with shows like Harley Quinn (which, like Caped Crusader, is co-created by Bruce Timm), originally on DC Universe and then later on HBO Max after the company consolidated content there.