For some reason HBO Max is quietly labeling BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES as a DC Studios project

Something strange is happening in Gotham. HBO Max has quietly added the DC Studios label Batman: The Animated Seriesand fans are trying to figure out why.

The legendary 1992 series predates DC Studios by decades, yet now sits under the same banner as modern titles Superman AND Peacemaker Season 2.

In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery created DC Studios, placing James Gunn AND Pietro Safran tasked with finally unifying the DC Universe under a single, connected vision. Since the brand’s official launch in July 2024, only four projects have been released under the DC Studios label: Commando of creatures, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, SupermanAND Peacemaker Season 2.

Now, Batman: The Animated Seriesa show that ended more than 30 years ago, has joined that lineup. Screenshots from HBO Max show the classic series now labeled as a “DC Studios” production, and Reddit user BatmanNewsChris even shared high-resolution artwork featuring the updated logo, reportedly sourced from the HBO Max website itself.

Batman: The Animated Series it is currently the only animated DC show on the service that carries the DC Studios brand. Other classics like it Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, The young justice, Teen TitansAND The Teen Titans Go! remain unchanged.

As you know, Gunn has been very careful about what the DC Studios label earns. He has also commented publicly on several occasions about the studio’s selective branding choices.

For example, three recent DC projects such as Harley Quinn Season 5, Joker: Folie a DeuxAND The Penguin they were all released without the DC Studios tag. When asked about this topic in threads after the release of Joker: Folie a DeuxGunn replied bluntly: “Because it’s not a DC Studios movie.”

When a fan asked Gunn earlier this year why Harley Quinn AND The Penguin DC Studios fanfare was missing, he explained:

“All DC TV and film projects are now under DC Studios. Why Harley Quinn it was developed long before us, we didn’t think it was right to put DC Studio fanfare on it.

“ON Penguinto whose development we contributed a small part, we have several DC Studios [animation] in the end. We are currently working on the opening of DC Studios’ Elseworlds.”

Given this reasoning, it is unclear why Batman: The Animated Series suddenly carries the DC Studios label when it was created long before the studio even existed. There has been no official statement from Warner Bros. Discovery or DC Studios explaining the change.

For now, the move doesn’t seem to signal anything serious. It’s probably just a strange quirk in the labeling of HBO Max’s catalog. However, for fans of the beloved animated classic, suddenly seeing it listed as a DC Studios project adds an unexpected twist to its long legacy.

Maybe the series is so damn awesome that they want to have it under the DC Studios banner to have some sort of ownership.

Batman: The Animated Series is now streaming on HBO Max.