First trailer for surprise Batman anime sequel features a bunch of DC heroes as you've never seen them before

Batman in Batman vs. Yakuza League
(Image credit: DC)

The Dark Knight battles an alternate version of the Justice League in the first trailer for surprise anime sequel Batman Ninja.

In the clip, Batman (Koichi Yamadera) and Robin look to touch down "in a world unlike any other", which seemingly reinvents the likes of Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and more as a group of Japanese gangsters, otherwise known as... the Yakuza League. Given the "vs" in the title, we can assume the Caped Crusader and his sidekick will be tasked with taking them down in the movie. Watch the teaser below...

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Teaser Trailer | DC - YouTube Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Teaser Trailer | DC - YouTube
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Released in 2018, the first Batman Ninja flick sees the eponymous Gotham City hero wind up in feudal Japan, after Gorilla Grodd's displacement machine transports a bunch of his enemies back in time. There, he and Catwoman must fight the Joker, who's become the de facto leader among the country's warring factions, and co and restore history. Junpei Mizusaki directed, and he's back for the follow-up, too.

"I never expected a sequel but I'm all for it," a fan said of the new outing on Twitter. "I actually liked Batman Ninja, and the first movie was just flawed. Seeing a second one a couple years later is exciting!"

"I can't wait, I've been dying for this," wrote another, as a third tweeted: "The aesthetics of Japanese animation is the savior of DC and Warner."

While Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League has yet to announce an exact release date, DC was promised it's "coming soon". We'll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, check out our roundup of the most exciting upcoming movies or best anime you should be watching in 2024.

Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.