The Dark Knight isn’t the only movie I’ve been itching to see this summer. Gotham Knight is an anime-styled, six-part movie that traces Bruce Wayne’s journey of becoming Batman. Yeah, that’s right, I said anime. But believe me. This looks like a very, very good thing to happen to the Dark Knight. Before TDK hits the big screen on July 18, get your Batman fix with interviews, details, pictures, and the all-new trailer in this jam-packed post after the jump.

(EDIT: Plus, a new interview with writer Greg Rucka!)

About Gotham Knight and Writer Alan Burnett on “Deadshot”:

“From the producers of Batman Begins and the upcoming Dark Knight theatrical release comes the groundbreaking interpretation of the Batman’s transition from beginner to Dark Knight. Six interlocking stories reveal Bruce Wayne’s earliest adventures as Batman and the steps he took to become the grim avenger of Gotham City.”

Set to arrive July 8 on DVD and Blu-ray, Gotham Knight is a fresh and stunning take on our favorite moody billionaire. And if the art (by world-renown Japanese animation visionaries) isn’t gorgeous and jaw-dropping enough, the storylines should be more than satisfying. The movie features six connected stories by talented writers Alan Burnett, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), and Jordan Goldberg (Associate Producer, The Dark Knight), as well as award-winning comics writers Greg Rucka and Brian Azzarello.

Burnett—whose work had earned him four Emmy Awards, three Annie Awards, and two Humanitas Prizes—already has Batman experience under his belt that includes working as a producer on Batman and Superman and Batman Beyond and a supervising producer and story editor for the Emmy-winning series, The Batman. Now, for Gotham Knight, he worked as a story editor for the entire piece—ensuring all the segments interconnected well and that continuity was maintained despite the various stories and writers—and a writer of the sixth part, “Deadshot.”

The segment ties together threads from all the film’s chapters as Batman must thwart an unerring assassin whose love of guns and disregard for human life lets him cross lines that even a Dark Knight shies away from.

Burnett said having the opportunity to finally bring the villainous Deadshot to the screen was instant motivation to pen the script. First, “Batman Gotham Knight” provided the perfect vehicle for a villain associated solely with guns - an attitude that flies in direct opposition to Batman’s anti-gun approach to heroism. The anti-gun theme is prevalent throughout the film. Moreover, because television standards do not allow the use of “real” bullets in children’s programming, Deadshot has been kept out of Batman’s animated legacy. For Burnett, this was the first opportunity to portray Deadshot as he is known in comics.

“I’ve always liked Deadshot as a villain, and I really like stories with assassins,” Burnett explained. “The fact that they’re killers, and what they do has impact, automatically heightens the energy of the story.”

… “I like the short-form for Batman, because it feels almost like a 22-page comic book story. In short form, the stakes are elevated from the beginning, and it gives you a chance to really heighten the action quickly - so you can make your points hard and fast and get out.”

(You can read more of the interview here.)

Writer Brian Azzarello on “Working Through Pain”:

Brian Azzarello came in for the fifth story, “Working Through Pain,” which uncovers an early chapter in Bruce’s training as an enigmatic Indian woman named Cassandra teaches him control over, let’s just say, “the physical and spiritual consequences of what he does.” He’s won Eisner Awards for his contribution to 100 Bullets, a project which he collaborated on with artist Eduardo Risso. As far as Batman goes, he’s wielded the character for Broken City, Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire, and in Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.

So collaboration for GK wasn’t a new experience.

Brian Azzarello says: “I wrote the script and then I handed it off, and that’s pretty much the same relationship I have in comics. I really trust my collaborators, and I try to leave them plenty of room so they can bring their strengths to the work. I think that happened in this film, and definitely for my segment - the animation is just amazing. Really amazing.”

“I have more of an affinity for the stage than I do for the screen, so I’m very conscious of the dialogue. And because I’ve always worked with collaborators, I tend to leave the visuals up to them - on purpose. It’s my belief that if I get the dialogue right, and the artist understands what motivates the characters and what they’re saying, then the visuals will come.”

(More with Azzello here.)

Kevin Conroy on Voicing Batman:

Let me just say this: Kevin Conroy isn’t new to the Batman-animation biz. He’s not even new at voicing him. In fact, he rocks. He’s voiced the Dark Knight for Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, The Batman/Superman Movie, Justice League … the list goes on. Not to mention one of my favorites, Batman: The Animated Series. He does one of the best (if not the best, and I’m sure many fans agree) Batman voices, no doubt, ever since 1991. So what is his take—for someone with such experience in the world of Batman animation—on Gotham Knight?

It’s a really rich experience. The artwork in this film is so beautiful, so amazing. I love the adult-themed animated shows like “The Simpsons” and “South Park” and “King of the Hill.” I love the appeal of their writing, the irony, the sense of humor. Those are great animated productions. But you forget just how rich animation artwork can be until you see a film like this. There’s just no comparison. I’ve never seen anything like this in terms of diverse and rich animation in the industry - it’s like getting six movies in one.

The story is very interesting, especially the way it weaves in and out of Bruce Wayne’s history - like the flashback to him training in India, learning to endure pain. It’s very well conceived story and I think it enhances a lot of the Batman mythology.

I don’t think there’s any question the fans will love it, because it’s such a deep animation experience, and it gives such great background into a character they already love. It’s a very positive piece.

Conroy knows the character very well, so after a three years’ absence, GK will be worth it just to hear his voice again!

There’s an emotional place I go to - Bruce (Timm) says he see it in me in the booth. It’s much more a psychology than just producing the sound. Batman is very complex. The Bruce Wayne voice is the real put-on. This is a guy who saw his parents murdered in front of him, and nobody would be normal and together after that. He feels like a freak inside. So to do the voice, you have to take on all that drama.

That’s why everyone relates to Batman - because everyone feels like a freak inside. Everyone has ghosts that they don’t want to show anyone else. All of us feel like we have that inside us. For me, that’s one of the most interesting aspects of the character - that a super hero would ultimately be based on that inner-freak that we all feel that we have.

(More with Kevin Conroy can be found here.)

The Official Website and New Trailer:

Batman: Gotham Knight looks like it’s going to be good. It’s a new spin on Batman in a unique blend of anime and comics, drawing anime/manga fans who might be unfamiliar to the world of Batman as well as vice versa—not to mention just good ol’ Batman fans in general.

The official website—while still partly under construction—showcases a synopsis, information about the DVDs (including the difference between the regular and two-disc special edition I’ve been wondering about myself—and the special edition looks really juicy, by the way) and characters (coming soon), a section called “Shout Outs” by Gregory Noveck and producer Bruce Timm, videos, a gallery, and soon-to-be-available downloads.

Now, here’s the brand new trailer! GK is rated PG-13 for “stylized violence including some bloody images,” but then again, this is Batman we’re talking about. It’s to be expected. He’s a different kind of superhero, so it’s a different comic realm. At any rate, this going to look awesome in high-definition! I can’t wait!

EDIT: There’s a new interview that just came out with Greg Rucka, and instead of just linking to it, I wanted to feature him. There’s a lot he said that I found really awesome. So enjoy!

Writer Greg Rucka on Batman and Comics:

Greg Rucka’s writing experience ranges from novels and short stories to non-fiction, not just comic books. He’s won Eisner Awards for graphic novel pieces like Whiteout: Melt (which has inspired a movie-version to come out this fall starring Kate Beckinsale) and Gotham Central: Half a Life. Now he’s plunging into the world of animation—although he’s already familiar with Batman as a character.

“This is my favorite kind of Batman - when you see him in short bursts. Chris Nolan really made that point in BATMAN BEGINS. For Batman to work psychologically, you can’t see him coming. That’s the essence of the character. If YOU are watching the movie, and he’s about to leap off a building, sure, do a long sweeping shot of him and eat it up with a spoon. But if your point of view is that of one of the characters, nobody should see him for long. If you’re in Gordon’s POV, then he shouldn’t get a good look at the guy. Batman is always goal oriented - he’s not going to waste time. I think the key to writing Batman is to give him the fewest words possible, because he’s there to get the job done.”

As more than just a comics writer, Rucka has an outsider’s writing view on the world of comics that’s frank and interesting.

“The great thing about comics fandom is that it’s immediate. I write a novel and it’ll be a year before people tell me what they think of it. Comics fans react that day. Comics are in many ways like soap operas in that the fanbase rests mostly in the characters. Consequently, the fans can be prone to hysteria. With the prevalence of the internet, there’s been this movement where everyone wants to be an insider, everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants to spread the information as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, a lot of times, the information is wrong or horribly incomplete. That’s the huge downside. You have people reviewing the first 22 pages of a story arc that is going to span months, and that’s like judging a novel on the first paragraph of the book. You can’t judge the story before you know what it is - that’s what I find most annoying. But at the end of the day, you also have to remember that these things don’t exist without that fanbase - and they are devoted … and vocal.”

… “This is the summer of the geek. Go down the line of movies and look what’s coming up, and it’s going to be insane. It’s truly fantastic and flattering to be a part of it. It’s not often you get to have a role in something that is going to live and endure long after you’re gone, and to have been a part of that legacy in any way, shape or form is an honor.”

Well said, Rucka. I definitely agree.

(Read the full interview here.)

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