Batman and the Joker love each other. This is not some controversial statement born out of my sicko shipper brain. It’s a well-established philosophy supported by decades of comics, movies, and animated television shows that depict the pair as being as fundamental to each other as gravity is to mass. However, that media nearly always falls short of naming their relationship for what it is. Thankfully a new DC animated show announced during this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival might finally put voice to a truth we all know.
Joker: Laugh Riot is a joint production between SOLA Animation Japan, Warner Animation, and DC Studios. It’s a story in which the Joker will take up the mantle of detective as he tries to find out who killed his greatest adversary, Batman. But as he pursues his own form of justice, turning from criminal to vigilante, he starts to question who he is without Batman. That’s a juicy-sounding premise, like an emotional conversation between two boyfriends that starts with the question, “What are we?”
A ‘JOKER’ anime series is in the works.
The series follows Joker as he launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham’s underworld to discover Batman’s killer.
Created by Sola Entertainment (‘War of the Rohirrim’). pic.twitter.com/o9PV6QNFWB
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 25, 2026
To be clear, I don’t think the Joker and Batman are in a romantic relationship. As we remember this Pride Month, there are many forms of love that don’t involve romance, sex, or even affection. The Joker loves Batman (and vice versa) the way one might love a toxic, narcissistic parent: “I hate you, but I’ll always pick up when you call, and I’ll be sad when you die.”
I hope Laugh Riot plays its plot straight, and doesn’t try to obscure what could be a serious exploration of the different kinds of love as exemplified by these two miserable bastards under a mountain of irreverent jokes. But a molehill of jokes is fine, this is The Joker we’re talking about after all.
Laugh Riot‘s reveal was accompanied by the announcement of a slew of other DC animated projects. The wildly successful Absolute Batman comic run is getting the animation treatment and I am seriously geeked to see a beefy-ass Batman wielding an equally chonky axe in motion. I’m grateful that DC keeps finding ways to keep Krypto the Superdog in front of my eyeballs. First were the Superman and Supergirl movies, and now he’s got his own animated show in which he hangs out with wannabe criminals, ostensibly to keep them out of trouble but likely causing his own. Unfortunately none of these projects have firm release dates so it’ll be a while before we’ll get to see any of them. But more than its movies, DC animated projects have a pretty consistent hit rate so they’ll likely be worth the wait.
