DC and Spotify line up audio series for Wonder Woman, Joker, Katana & more

DC Comics and Spotify are going all out for their audio partnership that was first announced last summer.

The two parties have expanded their team-up to include a slew of original, scripted series centered around such comic book icons as Wonder Woman, Joker, Superman, Lois Lane, Catwoman, Katana, The Riddler, Batgirl, and Harley Quinn. “I think the fanbase will respond to this in an exciting way and embrace it as something new and novel," said DC's Chief Creative Officer, Jim Lee. "[It] supplements all the other ways they take in the DC Universe."

Right now, we only have details for Batman Unburied, an audio drama that delves into the "darker aspects of Bruce Wayne's psychology." Created and produced by screenwriter David S. Goyer, the project is expected to debut on Spotify sometime this year.

"I've been fortunate to have had a hand in shaping how audiences see Batman and now, it's really fun to have a hand in shaping how audiences hear Batman," said Goyer, who helped form such Caped Crusader projects as The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. "With Batman Unburied, we're going to be doing a deep dive into Batman's unconscious mind, into his dream state. We are really leaning into playing around with the idea of surround sound."

"The types of stories you can tell with that character are pretty broad, so it allows David to explore the suspense/thriller side of Batman and do something different in a new format," Lee explains.

"As we continue to see explosive growth in podcasting around the world, we are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. to build this slate of programming drawn from the worlds of DC and WB," Dawn Ostroff, Chief Content and Advertising Business Officer, Spotify, said last July. "We could not be more excited to be working with Robert, Peter and the entire Warner Bros. and DC teams to deliver new exclusive stories to the more than 286 million Spotify users."

"Warner Bros. has been synonymous with compelling and unforgettable storytelling for nearly a century, and we’re continuing to expand that legacy across all types of media platforms for our fans," added Peter Girardi (EVP of Blue Ribbon Content and of Alternative Programming at Warner Bros. Animation) and Robert Steele (Senior VP of Business Strategy and Operations, Warner Bros. Digital Networks). "Spotify’s deep engagement with its consumers and commitment to prioritizing their podcast vertical makes them an ideal partner in this endeavor. We’re excited to bring beloved characters and franchises from DC and Warner Bros. into this new world and to use our storytelling prowess to redefine what’s possible in the scripted audio space."

Earlier this month, DC announced a Batman comedy podcast for HBO Max that is unrelated to the deal. Westworld's Jeffrey Wright (who is also playing Jim Gordon in next year's The Batman) will lead the talented voice cast as Gotham's Caped Crusader.

In other Spotify news, Joe and Anthony Russo — the sibling directors of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame — have signed a multi-year partnership with the subscription platform under their AGBO production banner. It's unclear what podcasts they'll be developing under the deal, but Deadline describes their planned content as "expansive, inter-connected series that span generations and territories."