DC officially confirmed that four members of the Bat-family will play major roles in an upcoming Batman film that is set to come out in July. A lot of DC's focus is on James Gunn's DCU, especially since the first movie in the franchise, Superman, will also premiere in July. However, a Batman flick will expand the overall umbrella of DC before the DCU's Caped Crusader will even be introduced.
On July 3, 2025, an animated film titled Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League will officially be released on Max. The movie was developed by a Japanese anime studio, offering fans a different look at the Dark Knight. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League will act as a direct sequel to Batman Ninja, a 2018 anime film that introduced fans to that version of Bruce Wayne and that universe.
Since Batman will be the focus of the film, many won't be surprised to learn that some members of the Bat-family will also play major roles. However, four members will specifically be highlighted as they join Batman in trying to save Gotham from the Yakuza League, a team comprised of alternate versions of members of the Justice League.
Every Bat-Family Member in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League
Robin
Robin is the most commonly seen sidekick to Batman in DC Comics and in film or TV adaptations, so it is no surprise that Robin will be joining the Caped Crusader in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League. Traditionally, most fans know Robin to be Dick Grayson, but in this case, Robin is Damian Wayne, Bruce's biological son (find out what kind of Robin James Gunn is looking for here).
In Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League, Damian's character design will look extremely similar to how he is portrayed in the source material and other adaptations. It is worth noting that Damian is often considered rather violent and short-tempered, and it seems as though he will be portrayed in a similar manner in the upcoming film.
Robin will be voiced by Yuki Kaji in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League.
Red Robin
Red Robin is the alias that Tim Drake goes by. In the comics, Tim became the third Robin (after Dick Grayson and Jason Todd) before adopting the identity of Red Robin, allowing the mantle of Robin to be taken up by Damian Wayne.
In Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, Red Robin's character design looks nearly identical to the design seen in the "New 52" line of DC comic books that launched in 2011. In the upcoming film, Red Robin seems similar to the character in the source material when it comes to personality as well, as Tim is often considered the most intelligent of Batman's sidekicks. In other words, of the four, Red Robin is the brains of the operation.
Red Robin will be voiced by Kengo Kawanishi in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League.
Nightwing
Nightwing is also known as Dick Grayson, the original Robin. Dick Grayson was part of The Flying Graysons at the circus, giving him a background in gymnastics and setting the foundation for his abilities as a superhero. Dick is who most fans think of when the name Robin is brought up.
In the upcoming film, Dick Grayson will be known as Nightwing. In the source material, Dick breaks away from Batman to essentially find himself, but often fights alongside Batman. He also acts as a father figure to Damian, who is quite a bit younger than Dick. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League's Dick Grayson has a bit of a different character design than other versions, as his suit is mostly black or dark gray, whereas his source material suit often features a lot of blue.
Nightwing will be voiced by Daisuke Ono in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League.
Red Hood
Traditionally, Red Hood was a former hero and the second iteration of Robin who turned into the villain known as Red Hood (his legal name is Jason Todd). However, since the beginning of the "New 52" comics, Red Hood has been presented as more of an anti-hero who works alongside Batman as his adopted son.
Red Hood's design in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is similar to the character's design in the source material and in other adaptations, as he is wearing a coat and a red mask that covers his entire head. Red Hood is often a bit of a wild card who is rather unpredictable, which is the case in the upcoming film as well. However, fans can always count on him being a formidable opponent to whoever he stands across from.
Red Hood will be voiced by Akira Ishida.
The full trailer for Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League can be seen below:
