The news that the Batman: Arkham prequel, now known to be called Origins, would be appearing this year took many by surprise, as most weren't aware that it was already in production, let alone by Warner Games Montreal, rather then franchise originators Rocksteady. Also surprising was the rumour that Rocksteady didn't tackle this job in favour of producing a proper followup to City, presumed to be a launch title for the PS4 (and hopefully include more of the original voice cast, as not even Kevin Conroy is returning as the Bat in this game).
Let me just say, if the game play graphics of Origins match the level of quality on the cinematics featured in this first trailer for the game, it's no wonder the next game is being held for the next generation: this thing looks gorgeous. And the original two games didn't have that much of a difference between cut scene and game play, so I'm hoping that it'll be more of the same.
Which begs the question: until Batman Begins, the most critically successful Batman film was Mask of the Phantasm. Ask most Bat fans which is their favourite alternate medium version of the character, and most would say the Animated Series. Animation is cheaper to produce, isn't hampered by the inclusion of less then believable CG because it's all CG, and Kevin Conroy is the goddamn Batman. So why doesn't Warner Bros look at producing an animated series of Batman films, for theatrical release, done to the standard of Arkham level cinematics? This trailer had me gripped,a nd I would pay many monies to see a ninty minute version of that.
Seriously, Explain to me exactly how that isn't a win-win idea? Warners will make money, because anything with the Bat symbol on it does, it'll cost them a fraction of what a Nolan-level film would cost (in voice casting alone), meaning they could turn out a trilogy for the cost of a Dark Knight Rises ($300 million, if you were wondering), and we the fans would get the Bat films we deserve and need. Sure, rendering all that will take time, but as processing power and skill continue to develop, the animation process gets faster. And no one complains when it takes Pixar two to three years to turn out a new feature, up from five or six on Toy Story.
Until then, we're getting that much closer to a Batman game that is just Batman in a Saints Row-style, completely unrestricted sandbox Gotham, and the only task we're given is to "be the night."
Via The Mary Sue.