DC’s New Joker Solo Series Gets Clarifying Status Update From Studio Boss

Published Oct 17, 2026, 5:22 PM EDT Jennifer is a TV and Movie News Editor at ScreenRant. She started her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to ScreenRant. Jennifer loves TV, especially science fiction. She also loves late-night talk shows, due to her insomnia. Alien: Earth is definitely one of her favorite shows, and she jumps on any chance she gets to write about it. Even on her days off, she will claim an Alien Earth article if one is available. Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are two of her favorite late-night hosts, and Conan O'Brien before he left his show. Her Alien: Earth coverage for ScreenRant is by far the work that she is most proud of so far. She was initially a finance and political editor, but her passion for pop culture convinced her to transition into entertainment journalism. During her off time, she loves to binge-watch cooking shows such as Kitchen Nightmares. Jennifer also loves spending time with her daughter and cherishes every moment of it. The Joker's new solo project gets a not-so-funny update. The series, officially titled Joker: Laugh Riot, was announced in June 2026 during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Although the announcement promoted the project as one of DC Studios' upcoming animated productions, very little information has been revealed about it up until now. In a recent interview with IGN, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran offered some news about the upcoming anime series featuring the Clown Prince of Crime. He confirmed that the project centered on one of Batman's most iconic villains is still in the early stages of development as the studio continues expanding its animated lineup. Safran further elaborated that Joker: Laugh Riot is currently being written and that no scripts have been completed so far. While the update confirms that the project is moving along, it also reveals that the solo series is not as far along as several other DC animated shows, such as Creature Commandos' second season, Mister Miracle, My Adventures with Green Lantern, Starfire, and DC Super Powers. The co-CEO also expressed enthusiasm for the company's growing slate of animated projects. He stated that DC Studios is committed to the medium, and it plans to adapt a large collection of superhero and supervillain stories, as well as bring lesser-known comic book franchises to the screen. Despite limited development updates, DC Studios has already revealed the central premise of Joker: Laugh Riot, which will place one of Batman's most recognizable enemies in a strange position. Instead of following the titular character's battle against the Dark Knight, the upcoming series begins with the murder of Bruce Wayne. With his longtime adversary dead, the Joker decides to violently investigate his demise. The villain's obsession with Batman forces him to track down who killed Gotham City's greatest hero, whom he has been obsessed with for several years. His search takes him through the city's criminal underworld as he attempts to find the culprit. However, the Joker's investigation isn't going to be just another basic revenge story. His actions will reportedly begin to resemble those of a vigilante, like Batman, rather than the criminal mastermind who fans have come to know and love. The character must confront questions about his identity and his relationship with Batman. The premise of Joker: Laugh Riot will also explore what happens when the Clown Prince of Crime loses the person who has defined him as a criminal. With his rival gone, especially at the hands of someone else, the character could feel like he no longer has a purpose. Historically, the Joker has never fully seen Batman as just his enemy. Throughout the years, he has developed a very twisted and very unhealthy attachment to him. The Joker has arguably become one of the most popular villains in comic book history. So, it is surprising to a large number of casual audiences and readers that the character was only supposed to appear one time. DC Comics' original plans were for the Joker to be killed off during his debut in Batman #1 (Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, and Sheldon Moldoff). However, after recognizing his potential as a villain, that storyline was scrapped. There is no release date for Joker: Laugh Riot at the time of this article's publication. Created By Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson Cast Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, Barry Keoghan First Appearance Batman (1940) Alias Red Hood, Clown Prince of Crime, Ace of Knaves RELATIONSHIPS Batman (archenemy), Harley Quinn (former psychiatrist, on-and-off girlfriend), Penguin (frequent collaborator), Two-Face (frequent collaborator) Alliance Injustice League, Legion of Doom, Injustice Gang