In 2004, Warner Bros. Animation produced an animated television series based on Batman. The cartoon series – which originally aired in the US on Kids’ WB, before switching to Cartoon Network – was called The Batman.
Featuring character designs by Japanese American animator, Jeff Matsuda, The Batman was a slick-looking show which told stories set within the Caped Crusader’s early career. These stories were Batman-centric tales, set before Robin or Batgirl joined the Bat-family, and saw Batman take on the Joker, Penguin, and Mr. Freeze, amongst others.
The first season of The Batman ran for 13 episodes and proved popular enough with audiences to be recommissioned for a second, third, fourth and fifth season. Over the course of the show’s run – which eventually clocked up 65 episodes – the Caped Crusader’s world inevitably grew, and soon companions and allies joined Batman on his crime-fighting quest.
In addition to five television seasons, The Batman also produced a spin-off movie. The film – The Batman vs. Dracula – acted as a standalone tale featuring the world’s most famous vampire and was released direct-to-DVD in October 2005.
Although originally released on DVD, The Batman vs. Dracula has since aired on television and has also been made available for purchase in a digital format. The film has a running time of 83 minutes.
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What happens in The Batman vs. Dracula?
In The Batman vs. Dracula, Dracula arrives in Gotham City under the guise of Dr. Alucard, and begins to transform citizens (including The Penguin), into vampires. The Batman has to develop an anti-vampirism vaccine in order to stop him from taking over the city.
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Is The Batman vs. Dracula suitable for children?
In the UK, The Batman vs. Dracula carries a PG certificate, which according to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) means the film is suitable for “general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch, but parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger, or more sensitive, children.”
In the US, The Batman vs. Dracula is not rated, which means it has not been given a rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
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Who are the cast of The Batman vs. Dracula?
- Bruce Wayne/Batman – Rino Romano
- Dracula – Peter Stormare
- The Joker – Kevin Michael Richardson
- The Penguin – Tom Kenny
- Alfred Pennyworth – Alastair Duncan
- Vicki Vale – Tara Strong
Rino Romano, Kevin Michael Richardson, Tom Kenny and Alastair Duncan reprise their roles from The Batman television series. Peter Stormare and Tara Strong are new cast members for this movie.
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What is significant about The Batman vs. Dracula?
The Batman vs. Dracula features the first and only appearance of Vicki Vale in The Batman mythology. The character did not appear in the television show and was never referenced.
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Do you need to watch The Batman to watch The Batman vs. Dracula?
The Batman vs. Dracula was conceived as a standalone tale. While it is set within the universe of The Batman television series, it does not contain any specific links which tie it into the show’s continuity.
If you have never watched The Batman television show, but wish to watch The Batman vs. Dracula, you can do so without any problem. You do not need to know anything about the series.
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Is The Batman vs. Dracula good?
- IMDb gives The Batman vs. Dracula a score of 6.6/10.
- Rotten Tomatoes does not currently provide a Tomatometer rating for The Batman vs. Dracula. The Audience Score is 54%.
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I hope the above information has proved useful. Should you want to know more about The Batman, then check out my posts: The best episodes of The Batman and An episode list for The Batman.
Alternatively, if you would like to know more about the Batman movie series, then take a look around I’ll Get Drive-Thru or check out one of the recommended reads below.
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