Young Justice Season 3 Gets Teaser, Premiere Date On DC Universe
Young Justice is finally returning to the small screen.
The long-awaited third season of the animated series, titled Young Justice: Outsiders, will make its debut January 4 on the DC Universe streaming service. Producers Brandon Vietti and Greg Weisman and art director Phil Bourassa, all of whom worked on the series' original run, will return.
DC dropped a short teaser trailer on its YouTube channel this morning, although it doesn't tell us much. There's some mysterious imagery of an Earth engulfed in flames and a strand of DNA, undoubtedly hinting at the plotline for the third season in ways which are not yet clear. According to Deadline, the season will see "the team [facing] its greatest challenge as it takes on meta-human trafficking and the terrifying threat it creates for a society caught in the crossfire of a genetic arms race spanning the globe and the galaxy."
Originally airing between 2010 and 2013 on Cartoon Network, Young Justice featured the titular squad as a secret offshoot of the Justice League, formed by Batman to take part in covert missions around the world. The team initially consisted of Robin (the Dick Grayson version, who eventually takes up the Nightwing mantle), Kid Flash (the Wally West version), Superboy, Aqualad, Green Arrow protege Artemis, and Martian Manhunter's niece Miss Martian, but were joined by others throughout the series' run.
The third season has been in the works for quite some time. We initially reported on its resurrection way back in November 2016, and in July 2017 a new lineup — consisting of Static, Kid Flash, Robin/Nightwing, Wonder Girl, Spoiler, Blue Beetle, Thirteen, Arrowette, Arsenal, and Beast Boy — was revealed along with updated costumes for the team. The inclusion of Kid Flash has piqued fans' interest, as the young speedster apparently vanished into the Speed Force at the end of season 2.
Fans were treated to about 5 minutes of footage from the new season (with no Kid Flash in sight) in July of this year, but with this new teaser, it's apparent that the show's producers are keeping any further details close to the vest.
While the series' run on Cartoon Network was critically acclaimed and pulled in a diverse viewership, it was reportedly canceled due to the most commercial of considerations — low sales figures for its tie-in line of toys. Irked fans helped to keep the possibility of a revival in the public eye for over three years, and according to Warner Brothers animation president Sam Register, it was their prolonged and persistent lobbying for the show's return that made the difference. "The affection that fans have had for Young Justice, and their rallying cry for more episodes, has always resonated with us," Register said in a press release. "We are excited to bring the show back for this loyal fanbase and to provide an opportunity for new viewers to discover this excellent series."
As the old saying goes, better late than never. Young Justice will make a formidable addition to DC Universe's slate of original content, and should help the nascent service remain competitive when the streaming wars heat up in earnest with the arrival of Disney+ sometime late next year.