Batman Beyond

Batman Beyond (released as Batman of the Future in some regions) is an American animated cyberpunk superhero series set in the DC Comics universe. It follows the story of Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and Alan Burnett created the show, which Warner Bros. Television Animation produced. It premiered on January 10, 1999, with a two-part pilot on The WB's Sunday night schedule. Although Warner Bros. Animation originally intended it as a kid-friendly Batman show, it turned out darker than its predecessor, Batman: The Animated Series. The series earned critical praise and developed a cult following.

The plot begins in the then-future year of 2019. Bruce Wayne, now in his sixties, still fights crime as Batman despite health problems from age and old injuries. During a rescue, he has a heart attack and, to avoid being killed by a criminal, breaks his strict rule by threatening the man with a gun—the same type of weapon that killed his parents and drove him to become Batman. Realizing he might eventually have to kill to survive, Bruce retires permanently. By this time, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, Lucius Fox, and James Gordon have died naturally. His former partners Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, and Tim Drake are alive but have retired from crime-fighting as Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin. Most of his rogues' gallery are either incarcerated, reformed, missing, dead, or in Arkham Asylum. Bruce has also cut ties with Superman and the Justice League. After losing control of Wayne Enterprises to a corporate takeover by Powers Technology, the company becomes Wayne-Powers under Derek Powers.

Twenty years later, Bruce lives alone in Wayne Manor with only his Great Dane, Ace. One night, rebellious teenager Terry McGinnis is chased by thugs onto the manor's lawn. He and Bruce fight them together, but Bruce suffers another heart attack. Terry helps him inside and, while exploring the mansion, discovers the Batcave. He asks Bruce to let him take up the mantle. Terry's decision comes from a similar origin to Bruce's: his father, Warren McGinnis, is murdered after learning about an illegal weapons project at Wayne-Powers. Bruce gives Terry a high-tech Batsuit he made before retiring, which grants increased strength, agility, flight, stealth, and enhanced sensors.