DC’s new animated movie, Batman: Knightfall Part 1, recently premiered at the 2026 Annecy Animation Festival, and critics are praising it in their first reactions. Helmed by Jeff Wamester, the movie features Anson Mount voicing Batman, Michael Mando as Bane, and Pablo Schreiber as Azrael, also known as Jean-Paul Valley.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1 called a ‘masterpiece’ in first reactions
The first reactions to the upcoming animated Batman feature are in after its premiere at the Annecy Festival. South Korean Studio Mir Co. animated the R-rated movie, recognized for its work on My Adventures With Superman, X-Men ‘97, and many more.
Jeff Wamester directed Batman: Knightfall Part 1 from a script by Jeremy Adams. Following the movie’s premiere, IGN’s Jim Vejvoda lauded it as a “strong” comeback by DC. He stated that it faithfully adapts “the essential core of a classic Batman crossover.” Moreover, Vejvoda praised the voice cast and conveyed that the movie showcased a “vivid psychological portrait of both Batman and his latest arch-nemesis.”
Furthermore, Variety’s Rafael Motamayor’s review revealed that the crowd went wild for the movie and that the audience applauded. The outlet conveyed that the audience responded to “the humor, the gnarly action, and the prominent role of the third Robin, Tim Drake.”
Meanwhile, in their review of Knightfall Part 1 on X (formerly known as Twitter), Nexus Point News described the movie as a “masterpiece.” They shared their admiration for the movie’s action, calling it “brutal, visceral, fast-paced, and gruesome action.”
The outlet added, “Anson Mount is great as Bruce Wayne/Batman, but it’s Michael Mando as Bane that completely steals the show with his performance. While the writing could allow for a little more depth with certain characters, there are still two more ‘KNIGHTFALL’ movies to go that we’ll 100% be there for.”
While a trailer for The Batman: Knightfall trilogy was recently released, the release date has not been confirmed yet.
Originally reported by Ishita Verma on SuperHeroHype.
