20-minute Lego Batman cartoon in works

Following the news that Traveller's Tales was turning its hugely lucrative Lego formula into a kids' TV show, the studio has revealed this to be a 20-minute Lego Batman cartoon using the same engine as the forthcoming game.

Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz last week at Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig, Traveller's Tales producer Rich Earl confirmed that a TV show was being produced as a spin-off from the team's latest Lego project.

"We're looking to do... a Lego Batman series. I think they're looking at doing a one-off initially," he said. "And they're basically able to utilise the assets, because our team has brought Lego characters to life."

Earl added that Traveller's Tales had no involvement in the production of the show, which is "being done by a separate studio in the States."

"My understanding is that they will use the engine, the Maya files where the characters come to life, but they'll be creating animated... I think it's a 20-minute cartoon. I'm personally quite intrigued to see how it comes out. Lego, every time they've had a new brand out, they've done some CGI stuff as well, but I think this will be quite different."

The Lego Star Wars series alone has already sold over 15 million units, with the most recent entry into the series, Lego Indiana Jones, knocking Grand Theft Auto IV off the top of the UK charts when it released in June.

Lego Batman is a departure of sorts for the studio, based on the comic book universe rather than any of the movies. With UK-based Traveller's Tales acquired by Warner Bros in late 2007, the TV project can be seen to point ahead to the way the franchise will develop under the studio's new owners.

The multi-format Lego Batman is due for release this autumn.