Ethan Hawke is having a banner year, earning rave reviews for starring in Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon and FX’s new neo-noir The Lowdown. It’s just another example of Hawke’s immense talent, as he’s delivered in everything from compelling science fiction dramas like Gattaca to a searing performance as a troubled priest in First Reformed. Most of Hawke’s fans don’t know that he had the chance to play Batman, though his take on the Caped Crusader might not be what you expect.
Hawke voices Batman in Batwheels, an animated series targeted toward preschoolers that has a truly unique hook for a Batman story: the Batcomputer, feeling that the Dark Knight needs more allies in his fight against crime, ends up bringing his fleet of vehicles to life. What follows is a fast-paced, entertaining show that kids of all ages and longtime DC fans will enjoy.
‘Batwheels’ Lets Ethan Hawke Put His Own Spin on Batman
Batwheels mostly puts its focus on the squad of Bat-Vehicles, led by the Batmobile (Jacob Bertrand) — nicknamed “Bam”. It wouldn’t be a Batman show if Batman didn’t show up, and Ethan Hawke turns in a solid performance as the Dark Knight. His performance feels vocally similar to the late, great Kevin Conroy‘s turn in Batman: The Animated Series, but with the same wry sense of humor that fueled Adam West’s take on Batman. Hawke’s Batman also continues to do detective work and thwart Gotham’s villains, as Batwheels creator Michael G. Stern said he didn’t want to shy away from what makes Batman a great character. “For us, because we were also asked to really respect the character of Batman, the first decision was keeping Batman cool, not kiddifying him, not dumbing him down, but keeping him the same cool guy that everybody knows, the only thing Batman doesn’t do on our show is punch people in the face,” Stern said in an interview.
Stern also took a different approach when it comes to Batman’s sidekicks in Batwheels, having Duke Thomas (A.J. Hudson) as Robin and Cassandra Cain (Leah Lewis) as Batgirl. Both characters are somewhat underutilized in the comics, despite Duke undergoing special training with Batman and Cassandra being adopted by him. Having the two in such prominent roles introduces them to a larger audience, while also giving them the spotlight they deserve.
Batman’s villains also play a major role in Batwheels as their specific vehicles get an upgrade; the Riddler’s helicopter Quiz inherits his love for riddles, while the Joker’s van Prank is as dedicated to causing the same kind of mayhem the Clown Prince of Crime thrives on. Batwheels manages to sttay true to the core of Batman while also utilizing its unique vehicle-themed aspect, which is no easy feat.
Ethan Hawke Turned Down ‘Batman Forever’
Image via Warner Bros.
Batwheels isn’t the first time that Ethan Hawke’s been connected to the Batman franchise. He was originally approached to play Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever, but eventually turned it down, leading to Val Kilmer becoming the next Dark Knight; in a twist of fate, Kilmer himself would later depart the role and be replaced by George Clooney in the nearly universally reviled Batman & Robin.
Hawke expressed regret over not taking the role in an interview, saying: I just didn’t want to go to the (New York) Knicks (basketball) game and have everybody go, ‘Wow, you were a great Batman!’ That wasn’t my f**king goal in life. Now I wish I’d done it, because I could have used it to do other things.” He’d eventually get to voice Batman in Batwheels, bringing things full circle and introducing the Caped Crusader to a new legion of fans.
Release Date
September 17, 2022
Network
HBO Max, Cartoon Network