‘Batman Unburied’ podcast series to debut on Spotify

The shift to streaming for entertainment becomes more evident with a podcast series based on characters from Batman being released on Spotify following HBO Max’s premiere of “The Batman”

The world of entertainment and how fans consume technology has changed from what it was even a decade ago. With movies having a smaller theatrical window and faster release at home through streaming services, more people have easier access to the latest Hollywood blockbusters than before.

This has become even more apparent with Spotify, the audio streaming giant, signing on to a multi-year deal with both DC Comics and Warner Bros. for scripted podcasts. According to The Verge, the DC podcast universe will feature nine shows focusing on characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, the Riddler, Batgirl, Catwoman, and Lois Lane.

There’s even a Marvel podcast universe, with Marvel partnering up with SiriusXM to release unscripted and scripted series of their own, going through such services as Pandora, which SiriusXM owns.

The Batman releases on HBO Max on April 19, followed by April 23 for the traditional linear HBO network.  The Spotify podcast, Batman Unburied, will follow soon after on May 3.

Starring Winston Duke in the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, TechCrunch explains that in this scripted series, “Bruce Wayne works as a forensic pathologist in Gotham Hospital, where he’s tasked with examining the victims of The Harvester, a cannibalistic serial killer.”

The release fits perfectly as audiences are still feeling the elation of seeing The Batman. The Batman has performed well at the box office, earning the second-best pandemic era opening with $128.5 million at the box office, as reported by Complex, coming in second to Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s $260 million box office debut, and joining only No Way Home, No Time to Die, F9: The Fast Saga, and Venom: Let There be Carnage as films to make $500 million worldwide during the pandemic.

Complex also explains that The Batman was number one in the United Kingdom, as well as Mexico, Japan, and Australia. This was just for the opening weekend.

Add this number of viewers to the wider audience the film will gain when it premieres on HBO Max and HBO’s linear network, and many people will be filled with even more enthusiasm for the Batman franchise.

With the film being number one in other countries as well, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the podcast series will be adapted for a global audience, “with each country’s version featuring local talent to voice the characters.” This includes Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, and Mexico.

With Duke playing Batman/Bruce Wayne, The Hollywood Reporter shares that the rest of the “U.S. English-language version will feature Hasan Minhaj as The Riddler, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Lance Reddick as Thomas Wayne, Toks Olagundoye as Martha Wayne, John Rhys-Davies as Dr. Hunter, and Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale.”

David S. Goyer, who previously worked as a screenwriter for Batman Begins, is the creator and executive producer of the series.

Content for comic books and superheroes has grown beyond just theatrical film releases and the traditional physical comic book. From spinoffs like The Peacemaker, based on James Gunn’s 2021 film, Suicide Squad, and the planned Penguin spinoff from The Batman, to alternate releases of films, as seen with the HBO Max release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, it’s a great time for superhero content to expand across multiple platforms. Streaming is the main target, whether it is through visual series and films such as seen on HBO Max or podcasts like on Spotify.