Batman and Harley Quinn premiered Friday night to the well-deserved praise of DC fans, which was followed by a fun, lighthearted panel.
Comedy and Stark Truth Blend Perfectly
The comedy follows Batman and Nightwing on a quest to team up with Harley Quinn and find and stop her old friend, Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy, along with Floronic Man, has a plan to save the world – turn everyone into plant people, or let all life die, with a special formula. Harley manages to convince Poison Ivy not to go through with her plan with a hilarious guilt trip, but Floronic Man isn’t so easily convinced. It takes the special appearance of Swamp Thing to make him take pause…but ultimately he’s stopped by Batman and a lit match.
Batman and Harley Quinn is certainly worth seeing for Swamp Thing’s epic reveal and all the comedy gold and innuendos, but it also left fans with an amazingly-delivered message. While their methods are questionable, Poison Ivy and Floronic Man’s desire to save the world from climate change and humanity’s destructive habits is something to take to heart at the end of the movie. The thought-provoking message feels real and compels those watching to seriously consider the state of the world right now.
From One Batman to Another
After watching the world premiere, cast and crew members discussed the movie in a fun and silly panel. They discussed some of their favorite moments, including the homages to past animated Batman characters, and how this comedic film differs from its darker predecessors.
One fan asked if the cast had any funny stories from recording, and Kevin Conroy who plays Batman shared a hilarious antidote involving “stay alive groans” and voice director Andrea Romano.
At Batman & Harley Quinn: @RealKevinConroy describes the Andrea "stay alive groan." 😝 #Batman #SDCC2017 pic.twitter.com/vOh8vj2HZb
— Chrissie “Astro” Miille (@AstroDances) July 22, 2017
Another fan asked if the panel could say something in honor of the late Adam West, and Kevin delivered a heartfelt tribute:
At Batman & Harley Quinn last night: @RealKevinConroy paid tribute to @therealadamwest #respect #SDCC2017 #Batman pic.twitter.com/JphZnOCdMl
— Chrissie “Astro” Miille (@AstroDances) July 22, 2017
Finally, they announced a slew of upcoming DC animated movies starting next year. First up is Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, followed by Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay. Later in the year, Death of Superman will be released, followed by its second part, Reign of the Supermen in early 2019.
Batman and Harley Quinn will be available in theaters for one night on August 14, will be on digital HD on August 15, and released on Blu-ray on August 29.
