Batman: Year One – Ambitious Fan-Film Kickstarter Campaign Takes Flight

You can support a live-action adaptation of the cult classic Batman Beyond starting today.

Gotham City, the year is 2040, and a new Batman takes the mantle in an exciting fan-film project, Batman: Year One. The Kickstarter campaign for this ambitious adaptation of the beloved 1999 animated series Batman Beyond has just launched, drumming up support from fans to bring the project to fruition.

The film aims to bring Terry McGinnis, the new Batman, and the futuristic neo-world of Gotham City to life in a modern and captivating way. With superhero media at its peak and the multiverse concept gaining traction in both DC and Marvel franchises, Writer and Director Michael Yu believes that now is the perfect time to introduce a fresh take on the iconic character.

Batman: Year One is set several months after Terry McGinnis discovers Bruce Wayne’s identity and takes on the role of Batman. The story follows Terry as he faces the resurfaced crime organization, the Royal Flush Gang, a longtime enemy of Batman.

Artwork by DCAU Roy Hakim

The cast for Terry and Bruce remains a surprise for now, with the team teasing that they have found the perfect actors to bring the characters to life.

Creating the world of Neo Gotham is no small feat, requiring cutting-edge visual effects combined with practical production design. Luckily, there’s no shortage of talent on the team behind this project, including Ian Hussey as the cinematographer, Jay Kwon as the action director, Susanna Song as the costume designer, Marc de Bertier as the production designer, Chris of Gc5 FX as the prop and costume maker, Luke Gibleon as the sound designer, David Corwin as the composer, and Neil Craig as the VFX supervisor. The team’s expertise in post-production and VFX will be crucial in delivering the immersive, futuristic backdrop that fans have come to expect.

Despite the core team investing heavily in the project and relying on volunteer work and support, additional funding is required to truly bring Batman: Year One to life. The Kickstarter campaign has a base goal of $50,000, and funds will be distributed to evenly compensate the cast and crew and cover the technical and logistical aspects of the production.

The team has designed exciting rewards to show their appreciation for donors’ support, focusing primarily on digital items for earlier reward tiers. As the reward tiers increase, limited physical objects, including props from the film, are available to backers.

As fans rally behind the project, it’s evident that the appetite for a live-action adaptation of Batman Beyond is strong. As the campaign progresses, the creators of Batman Beyond: Year One have expressed that this is just the beginning. Their ultimate goal is to pave the way for a larger story that continues Terry’s journey.

Check out the Batman Beyond: Year One Kickstarter campaign for more details and show your support with a donation.

Published by Adam Birney

As a Senior Writer and Editor for The Cultured Nerd, Adam is as dialed-in to pop-culture as Bruce with the Batcomputer. In an era where clickbait reigns supreme and misinformation runs rampant, Adam strives to provide well-researched, accurate and unbiased insights to the realms of movies, video games, superheroes and more. After all, that's what being a 'cultured nerd' is all about.