From 13th Dimension...
The late Adam West leads the star-studded cast in his final performance as Batman. The beloved actor delivers an inspired turn opposite fellow pop culture icon William Shatner (Star Trek) as the criminally conflicted Harvey Dent/Two-Face. This is only the second production of any kind to feature the two titans of the fanboy realm together. West and Shatner first teamed in the 1963 “Alexander The Great” television series that never made it past the pilot.
The cast also boasts two more pop culture icons of the 1960s. Burt Ward is back for more “holy” fun as the Boy Wonder himself, Robin, and Tony Award winner Julie Newmar reprises her role as the fiendish feline, Catwoman.
The voice cast includes Jeff Bergman (Joker, Bookworm, Desmond Dumas), Sirena Irwin (Dr. Quinzel), Thomas Lennon (Chief O’Hara), Lee Meriwether (Lucilee Diamond), William Salyers (Penguin), Lynne Marie Stewart (Aunt Harriet), Jim Ward (Hugo Strange, Commissioner Gordon), Steven Weber (Alfred, Two-Face henchmen) and Wally Wingert (Riddler, King Tut).
I'm going to miss these animated Batman 66 films after this last release? I was so hoping for more, but now after Adam's passing, it doesn't seem right to keep going without him.
though it might be fun for Burt Ward to do some solo Boy Wonder animated shorts, would love to see his Robin meet Pussycat again? Or even grow into Nightwing.
Opens an interesting question; should these stop because Adam is no longer with us?
I don't see it as disrespectful to recast the role and would see it more an homage to Adam than a slight to him, but I wouldn't want to be the actor trying to take it on-- going to be hard to convince the faithful.
Regardless, I'd only want them to go on if the scripts are good.
I've always considered the animated films one-off specials, so I was never expecting new "chapters" to be produced beyond a few, if the original was successful. Without one of the key players (Adam), it would not feel right, but like WB will do anything to milk whatever is left of the legacy and fanbase the '66 series.
Just imagine a Star Trek film or animated special where Shatner is backed by sound-alikes of Nimoy and Kelley. Such a project would seem desperate to just keep it going because of the almighty dollar.
Isn't that what the Star Trek reboot is? The actors playing Kirk and Spock sure seem to be trying to emulate Shatner and Nimoy.
As a Star Trek fan I sat through the first one but decided against coming back-- they just aren't Kirk and Spock to me and never will be.
I'd likely end up on the same path with Batman '66 although with animation it might be an easier sell, since they didn't look right in the first place.
I enjoyed the first one, and I really don't enjoy what's on current television. Too dark, too bleak, and not any fun. Same for the DC Animated films, they're way too dark and violent. But I do love the DC superhero Lego films, even prior to the theatrical Batman Lego release that came out earlier this year.
I know Adam is gone, but I really enjoyed these films that didn't take themselves too seriously. Again I don't know if these Batman 66 animated films should continue without the one, the only Adam West, but I will also miss the joy these movies bring.
13th Dimension has a spoiler free review that says the movie is more noir and closer in spirit to the First Season than the second and third seasons as the first movie was.