For anyone thinking that the animated DC films needed a little jolt because they were all starting to feel a little too similar (at least in animation stylings), never fear, ‘Gotham By Gaslight’ is here. The new movie, based on the acclaimed Elseworlds tales version of the iconic DC hero, puts Batman/ Bruce Wayne in the Victorian era, facing off against none other than Jack the Ripper himself. It is a bold move by the creative forces behind DC’s animated fare, removing Batman from the present and testing the waters of a story that is so far removed from the norm, but the trailer alone makes it seem like something that could pay off handsomely. Batman translates very well to this era, most likely because so many aspects of his character are borrowed from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, the standard hero of this particular era, and Batman has always been about so much more than the high-tech gadgets and the fancy suit.
The trailer itself shows off the look of Batman, in a costume not too far removed from what he wears in the modern comics (except you can see his eyes through the mask), and allows us to see the Gaslight versions of Alfred, Selina Kyle, and Commissioner Gordan, none of whom seem particularly out of place in the new setting. The trailer is action packed and seems to fit very well for a ‘Batman’ story, and I am very excited to see what they do with it, especially after the disappointment of the last animated Dark Knight film, ‘Batman and Harley Quinn.’ Sadly, ‘Batman: Gotham by Gaslight’ will not be coming out till some time next year, but until then we can at least get our Batman fix by seeing him in ‘Justice League’ this week (fingers still crossed on the success of that one). Check out the trailer for yourself below, and feel free to share your thoughts on the style and the potential for the movie in the comments below!
