Today marks the launch of Cartoonito from Warner Bros. for both Cartoon Network and HBO Max. The new block of programming geared towards preschoolers has a number of shows for the launch, but Batwheels is the series we are focusing on with the cast announced during a virtual event celebrating the launch. Before getting to the cast, let’s take a look at the new description for the upcoming series.
They are a team of incredible crimefighters who have banded together to oppose evil, combat crime and clean up the streets of Gotham City. They are…okay, they’re NOT Batman and Robin. They’re the Batwheels – an awesome group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin, Batgirl and a host of DC Super Heroes.
Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (The Batmobile), the Batwheels – Bibi (The Batgirl Cycle), Redbird (Robin’s Sports Car), The Batwing and Buff (The Bat Truck) – must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. This relatable and aspirational series will follow the journey of this dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures as well as demonstrate to kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.
In addition to the new description for Batwheels, the majority of the cast has been announced for not only the stars of the show (the vehicles), but also the human characters that will play a large role in the series.
Jacob Bertrand (Cobra Kai) as Bam – The Batmobile and leader of the Batwheels team. Like his hero Batman, Bam has a strong sense of justice and tries his best to lead the team, even though he’s not always sure he’s up for the task. Ultimately, the other Batwheels know they can count on him, both as a super teammate, and as a friend.
Jordan Reed (Chuggington) as Redbird – Robin’s zippy sports car. “Red” is the kid brother of the team, always eager to prove himself a worthy sidekick to Bam but he can definitely hold his own on a mission. He’s enthusiastic and extremely inquisitive, asking tons of questions, like a kid detective.
Madigan Kacmar (Chuggington) as Bibi – Batgirl’s brave and bold motorcycle. She is the fastest of the Batwheels, but also the smallest, so she sometimes has a habit of being impulsive and jumping right into the action without a plan.
Noah Bentley (Elliott from Earth) as Buff – This Bat-styled monster truck is the team’s muscle and can ram through or run over any obstacle in his path, but he’s also the heart of the team – a gentle giant who doesn’t really know his own strength.
Lilimar (Cleopatra in Space) as Batwing – Batman’s supersonic jet plane, “Wing” is easily the most sophisticated, and confident member of the team.
Kimberly D. Brooks (DC Super Hero Girls) as The Batcomputer – She is the supervisor, dispatcher, and trainer of the team – but most importantly she is also their mother figure. In addition to training and advising them, she must be there to comfort them and even hold their mechanical hands when needed.
Mick Wingert (What If…?) as Moe – Batman’s robot repairman who facilitates repairs and upkeep on his fleet of vehicles. He is well-equipped, highly efficient mechanic who can fix almost any vehicular glitch, but not without a healthy dose of sarcasm.
Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) as Batman – Gotham City’s greatest protector who keeps the streets safe from any and all threats. Even though Batman doesn’t communicate directly with the Batwheels, he acts as a father figure. They absolutely seek his approval and trust while they fight alongside him.
AJ Hudson (The Good Place) as Duke Thomas/Robin – The Boy Wonder who loves sinking his teeth into a great detective mystery while he strives to prove himself alongside Batman.
Leah Lewis (Nancy Drew) as Cassandra Cain/Batgirl – The first Asian-American Batgirl as first introduced in the comics. In Batwheels Cassandra is the “big sister”, tech-savvy daredevil of the Bat-Family. She loves ripping around the streets of Gotham City on her motorcycle and always wants to be in the center of the action.
It appears that the series will be going in a different direction than the standard depictions of the sidekicks as Duke Thomas appears to be a much younger version of himself as Robin rather than Signal. Cassandra Cain as Batgirl is a welcome addition to the series, but appears in the recent Batgirl of Burnside costume. And Batman, well, he looks like he is a few years away from being the tank of a man found in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
While the cast of Batwheels has been announced, there is no premiere date for the series at this time. But when it does premiere, it will be available on both Cartoon Network and HBO Max.
