Justice League

The first digital ink and paint entry in the DCAU brings together seven iconic heroes to face threats too large for any one of them alone.

Justice League is an American animated superhero television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that aired on Cartoon Network from November 17, 2001, to May 29, 2004. Based on characters published by DC Comics, the show serves as a sequel to Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and is part of the larger DC Animated Universe timeline that includes Batman Beyond, though it is not a direct prequel to that series. It stands as the fourth series chronologically in the DC Animated Universe. Although the original run concluded after two seasons, it was directly followed by Justice League Unlimited, which aired for three additional seasons featuring an expanded roster.

Quick Facts

Genre

Adventure
Crossover
Drama
Science fantasy
Superhero

Developer

Bruce Timm

Based on

Justice League, Gardner Fox

Director

Butch Lukic
Dan Riba
Andrea Romano (voice director)

Voices

Kevin Conroy
George Newbern
Susan Eisenberg
Phil LaMarr
Michael Rosenbaum
Carl Lumbly
Maria Canals-Barrera

Theme music

Lolita Ritmanis

Composer

Michael McCuistion
Kristopher Carter
Lolita Ritmanis

Country

United States

Lore & Background

Bruce Timm, having co-produced earlier DCAU series in the 1990s, produced this show focusing on a specific roster: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (John Stewart), The Flash (Wally West), J'onn J'onzz, and Hawkgirl. This iteration marked a technical shift as the first series in the DC Animated Universe to fully utilize digital ink and paint. Starting with Season 2, it also became the first DCAU series produced in widescreen. While the second-season finale "Starcrossed" was initially expected to end the run, Cartoon Network announced the follow-up Justice League Unlimited in February 2004. The successor premiered on July 31, 2004, featuring a much larger roster of characters.

Reader's Guide

Viewers can access the series through various home media releases from Warner Home Video between 2006 and 2011. The complete series was released on DVD in both original broadcast order and story arc continuity. A specific set titled "Justice League: The Complete Series" contained all 91 episodes of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited across a 15-disc set, including a bonus documentary on the final disc; this was later re-packaged as a 10-disc set without the documentary. Musically, La-La Land Records released a limited edition 4-disc soundtrack in July 2016 featuring highlights from episodes like "A Better World," "Hereafter," "Wild Cards," and "Starcrossed." Streaming history includes availability on DC Universe from September 2018 until January 2021, after which content moved to HBO Max. On March 1, 2026, the series was added to the Tubi streaming service.

Did You Know?

The series premiere on November 17, 2001, set a Cartoon Network record with over 4 million viewers, a record held for several years.
George Newbern replaced Tim Daly as Superman for the series; while Daly's involvement with The Fugitive is often cited as a factor, the exact reason for the recasting has not been officially confirmed as the sole cause.
In the episode "Hereafter," Maria Canals-Barrera and Corey Burton replaced original actors Lori Petty, Bud Cort, and Malcolm McDowell for the roles of Livewire, Toyman, and Metallo.