Absolute Batman Fan Film Brings DC Comics' Best Work To Life With A Twist

16 hours ago 3

Published May 3, 2026, 2:26 PM EDT

Patrik Walker is an Emmy Award–winning writer who covers all things Comics & Superheroes. His work can also be found at the Dallas Cowboys, The Sporting News, and CBS Sports, among other outlets. One of the most respected names in his field, he is also a diehard enthusiast of all things comics, anime, gaming and movies — thriving in spaces where discussions involving those or similar topics reign supreme.

Behold, greatness is upon you, and it's something DC Comics fans could have only dreamed of. When Absolute Batman #1 made its debut on October 9, 2024, no one could've expected it to become the global phenomenon that it has in the comic book space — effectively making DC Comics the talk of the town and ushering in a new era entirely.

It has since spawned an entire Absolute Universe that includes, but is definitely not limited to, an Absolute variant of Superman, The Joker, The Flash, Bane, Poison Ivy, Catwoman and several more (including Poison Ivy gaining unexpected new powers). What it had not led to as yet, however, was a film or TV series, be it animated or live-action.

But thanks to the dedication and talent of one DC Comics fan in particular, Absolute Batman fans can now enjoy an 8.5-minute long short film based upon the original comic, and here's the truly fun part: it's neither animated nor live-action ... it's stop-motion ... courtesy of Dang IT Productions.

Robot Chicken, meet Batman.

Will There Ever Be An Official Absolute Batman Movie?

Of course, one can never say never, but it's also true that there is currently not a discussions happening behind closed doors at DC Comics, or at least not any that have leaked out to the public, and not involving any sort of live-action flick.

Ah, but therein lies the key phrase, live-action, because there is speculation that DC Comics is willing to unleash Absolute Batman as an animated series or one that dances in the anime space for Warner Bros. Animation which, by default, would likely tether it to HBO Max streaming — at least for now, as things continue to get sorted in the very messy merger attempt with Paramount Skydance.

It also appears the speculation has legs, with creators Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta making it known they'd love for Absolute Batman to get an adult anime adaptation from Studio Trigger (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners) specifically, hinting at a strong possibility of it happening at some point.

“I'm not in the know, but I know DC makes and licenses quality stuff, so I'm excited to see what comes," Dragotta said, via IGN. "Personally, I'd love to see a Studio Trigger anime of Ab Bat.”

James Gunn Should Push Absolute Batman Into Animation

James Gunn has a full plate thanks to his budding DCU, and the Elseworlds' The Batman Part II, but none of that should stop him from giving the people what they want when it comes to Absolute Batman.

He's gotten flak as of late because of his willingness to push Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in the Elseworlds while simultaneously seeking to cast for Batman in the DCU, but his pushback on the criticism is a welcome sight, Gunn recently noting he doesn't see why it's a problem at all for anyone.

That is exactly the thought process that should fuel Gunn to also throw his weight behind seeing an animated or anime version of Absolute Batman brought to life. It's possible that's already occurring, and you can bet neither Scott Snyder nor Nick Dragotta would say no to that type of assist. But, until then, the rarely-used nowadays stop-motion in the Dang IT Productions' version has instantly become a viral sensation and, hopefully, motivation.