Bruce Timm Says BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN is Set in The BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES Universe
A lot of DC fans got excited about the latest DC animated film Batman and Harley Quinn. Not only did it feature the return of several voice actors from Batman: The Animated Series, but it also was created in that same classic animated style. Turns out, there's a really cool reason for all that. According to Bruce Timm, Batman and Harley Quinn is set in the same universe as Batman: The Animated Series! During a recent interview with CB, he explained:
“It’s kind of classic Harley. Early on we decided we were going to set the movie in the classic, Batman: The Animated Series universe. That meant the character designs and bringing Kevin [Conroy] and Loren [Lester] back to play Batman and Nightwing."
He goes on to give some information on where this new story picks up with Harley, saying:
“So it's kind of the classic Harley. She’s kind of the wacky clown girl. When we meet her in the beginning of the story she’s actually kind of tried to put that behind her and she’s out of prison and she’s just trying to get on with her life and then Batman, of course, just has to pull her right back into the whole capes and cowls thing and then Wacky hijinks ensue.”
When asked if the Batman and Harley Quinn was technically canon, he said he's not sure but he thinks it is.
“I don’t really know. I personally kind of think that it is, but I’m not actually in control of what’s in continuity and what isn’t because there’s been several other classic Batman animated-style movies that I didn’t have anything to do with, so technically they’re canon even though I didn’t have anything to do with them, so technically this could be continuity or it could just be head-canon. I don’t know.”
Batman: The Animated Series is considered by many to be one of the greatest cartoon series of all-time. It's cool that it still serves as inspiration for many of the animated series and films that DC animation has created over the years. I love that this new film is pretty much set in the same universe and I hope we get to see more Batman animated films set in the same universe in the future.