The announcement introduces a new take on Gotham’s most infamous villain, placing him at the center of a story that begins after Batman’s murder and sends him on a relentless search for the person responsible.
DC’s First Official Anime Series Gives the Joker a New Mission
“Joker: Laugh Riot” marks a milestone for DC Studios as its first official anime TV show, reflecting the company’s growing interest in Japanese animation. The project is being developed in partnership with Warner Bros. Animation and Sola Entertainment, the studio behind “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” with award-winning filmmaker Yasuhiro Aoki attached to direct.
Rather than revisiting the familiar rivalry between Batman and the Joker, the series starts with the Dark Knight’s death. The official synopsis reveals that Joker embarks on a violent campaign through Gotham City’s criminal underworld to uncover the identity of Batman’s killer. Along the way, his pursuit gradually pushes him into territory more commonly associated with heroes than villains, forcing him to question his own identity without his greatest adversary.
While DC has collaborated with Japanese animation before, “Joker: Laugh Riot” represents a different step for the studio. Previous anime-inspired projects have included the anthology film “Batman: Gotham Knight,” the feature “Batman Ninja,” and “Suicide Squad Isekai.” However, the newly announced show is being positioned as DC Studios’ first official anime television production centered entirely on the DC Universe.
The reveal came alongside several other additions to DC’s animation lineup unveiled at Annecy, including an adult animated adaptation of “Absolute Batman” and a new “Krypto” series.
