Batman has cemented himself as a necessary component of the Christmas holiday season. Some of the best animated episodes took place during the season, the playful “Jingle Bells Batman Smells” version is known by many, and who could forget the Christmas Tree lighting scene from Batman Returns? Now we get to add to the list with the release of a new animated classic, Merry Little Batman. See the synopsis and trailer below:

“When After Damian Wayne is left alone in Wayne Manor on Christmas Eve, he transforms himself into “Little Batman” to safeguard his home and the rest of Gotham City from supervillains during the holiday season.”

Merry Little Batman is a 2023 American animated superhero film directed by Mike Roth, screenplay by Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci, and a story by Evans and Roth, based on DC Comics featuring the characters Batman and Damian Wayne. The film stars the voices of Yonas Kibreab, Luke Wilson, James Cromwell, and David Hornsby. In the film, Damian must protect Wayne Manor from villains during Christmas.

The film was released on December 8, 2023, on Amazon Prime Video.

Apple TV+ today unveiled plans to take the stage for the first time ever at CCXP as it brings its highly anticipated new series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” based on Legendary’s Monsterverse, to the largest comic and entertainment convention in the world held in the São Paulo Expo in Brazil. Beginning Thursday, November 30, and ending with a can’t-miss panel conversation and live Q&A on Sunday, December 3, the thunderous lineup of CCXP23 events and experiences for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” will include unforgettable fan experiences for thousands of attendees. 

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” showrunner and executive producer Chris Black, and executive producers Tory Tunnell and Joby Harold will join thousands of their closest fans at the Thunder Stage at CCXP23 on Sunday to give insight into the world of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” and unveil exclusive content.

Plus, on the show floor throughout the duration of CCXP23, fans will have the chance to step into the Monsterverse realm as they enter an immersive fan experience and photo opportunity for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”

Premiering globally on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, November 17, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” recently took the stage to a packed house at New York Comic-Con, where the series held its first public screening to rave reviews proclaiming “’Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ looks absolutely awesome, in every sense of the word.” 

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives. 

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is co-developed by Chris Black (“Severance,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Outcast,”) and Matt Fraction (“Hawkeye”). Matt Shakman (“Wandavision”) directs the first two episodes. 

Hailing from Legendary Television, the series is executive produced by Black, Fraction and Shakman alongside Joby Harold (“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”) and Tory Tunnell  (“Spinning Out,” “Underground”) from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman (“Wandavision”), Andy Goddard (“Carnival Row, “Downton Abbey”), Brad Van Arragon (“Yellowjackets, “Carnival Row”), and Andrew Colville (“Severance,” “Star Trek: Discovery”). Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character. Toho licensed the rights to Legendary for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” as a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship with the film franchise.

Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse is an epic entertainment universe of interconnected stories that bring together popular culture’s most titanic forces of nature. Witness humanity’s greatest battle for survival as we fight for our world in the face of a catastrophic new reality—the monsters of our myths and legends are real. Beginning in 2014 with Godzilla and continuing with 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island,” 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong,” the Monsterverse has accumulated close to two billion dollars globally at the box office and is ever-expanding, with the highly anticipated sequel “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 392 wins and 1,629 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

About Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

Just in time for the fall season is Marvel Studios Special Presentation of Werewolf by Night featuring the great Gael Garcia Bernal. Last October the Countdown City Geeks came together for their own review of the project. You can see that by clicking the thumbnail below.