Adam West says new animated 'Batman' movie is meant 'to please the kids'

NEW YORK, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Adam West says he is happy to once again star in a Batman project that even the youngest fans of the super-hero can enjoy.

West -- who played the title role in the campy, but beloved, live-action Batman television series from the 1960s -- can be heard in the new PG-rated cartoon adventure Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, reprising his most famous character, alongside his former cast-mates Burt Ward as Robin and Julie Newmar as Catwoman. Also featuring the vocal talents of Steven Weber and Thomas Lennon, the movie will be out on DVD and Blu-ray on Nov. 1.

Asked by UPI at New York Comic Con if he wanted to give Batman back to children after decades of increasingly dark portrayals by other actors made movies about the crime-fighter more appropriate for adults, the 88-year-old West replied: "You know what you've just done? You've just described what we intended to do and did. When you see the movie, you' ll see this was done primarily for kids. You know, of all ages. So, the adults will be amused, of course, again. But this one is really just hammering right in to please the kids and you see it updated. They've taken our Batman and given it an homage and then brought it more in tune with what's happening out there today. All the technology, you know, the new stuff. We're in space. I'm a little spacey anyway. But we're out in space!"

Thousands of fans turned out for the world-premiere screening of the movie at Comic Con last week and cheered when West appeared on stage and talked about the film. The feature got a Fathom Events one-night presentation in theaters across the United States this past Monday, the same day it became available on Digital HD.

"Batman and Robin spring into action when Gotham City is threatened by a quartet of Batman's most fiendish foes -- Penguin, The Joker, Riddler and Catwoman," an official summary teases. "The four super-villains have combined their wicked talents to hatch a plot so nefarious that the Dynamic Duo will need to go to outer space [and back] to foil their arch enemies and restore order in Gotham City. It's a truly fantastic adventure that will pit good against evil, good against good, evil against evil ... and feature two words that exponentially raise the stakes for both sides: Replicator Ray. Holy Multiplication Tables!"