Absolute Batman, Joker: Laugh Riot and Krypto Animated Series Announced
DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation announced three new animated series at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Thursday: Absolute Batman, Joker: Laugh Riot, and an untitled Krypto show.
Joker: Laugh Riot is officially greenlit, while the other two shows are listed as in development. None of the shows have a network lined up yet.
The adult animated series Absolute Batman is, of course, based on the award-winning and best-selling DC comic book series written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta. Snyder will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with Dragotta as producer.
The series’ official plot description follows: “Absolute Batman boldly reinvents the Batman mythos for a new generation of fans, reimagining the Dark Knight as a working-class hero up against impossible odds (and the most terrifying foes ever), on a mission to prove that even in an era of wealth, power and corruption, one good person can change the world.
No manor, no money... all Batman. When you take away the manor, the money, the advantages, what you’re left with is something absolute.”
Joker: Laugh Riot is billed as DC’s first-ever anime series. Jim Krieg (Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall) serves as the executive producer while the director is Yasuhiro Aoki (Batman: Gotham Knight). The show’s studios include Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios, and SOLA Entertainment.
Here’s the show’s official description:
“When Batman is murdered, the Joker launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham’s underworld to find the killer who took away his greatest adversary. But as his violent quest for answers pushes him closer towards vigilante than villain, Joker is forced to confront the truth that without Batman, he doesn’t know who he is.”
The untitled kid’s show featuring super-dog Krypto is executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt (Dead Man, Jellystone, SpongeBob SquarePants).
“When he’s not hanging out with Superman or Supergirl, Krypto tags along with a gang of misfit criminal wannabes who live down the block, and they soon discover he’s a ball of destructive, lovable energy worse than any of them! As he follows them into misadventures and poorly laid plans, Krypto’s pure nature slowly ends up redeeming them, whether they want it or not,” according to the show’s official description.
Annecy’s World’s Finest Animation: DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation Showcase featured Peter Safran (Co‑Chairman and Co‑CEO, DC Studios) and Sam Register (President, Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna‑Barbera Studios Europe).