DC’s most recent direct-to-video animated feature is Batman: Soul of the Dragon. It features an original story, not based on any comic, and was directed by Sam Liu and executive produced by Bruce Timm, the man responsible for the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) and several other DC animated projects.
The movie was written by Jeremy Adams who, when asked about the 1970s setting of the film, said “I think it's a cross-section when you have the kung fu craze in the '70s, which was steeped in every genre of movie, and then you also had James Bond movies— spy movies were really big— and then you had satanic cult movies.” The movie pairs Batman with martial arts characters like Richard Dragon, Lady Shiva, and Ben Turner who were all created by Dennis O’Neil whose memory the movie is dedicated to.
10 DC’s 40th Animated Original Movie
Since 2007, DC has released a steady stream of direct-to-video animated movies featuring their iconic characters. These ambitious features have been praised for their aim at a more adult audience with many of the movies rated PG-13 and even R.
The plots range from adaptations of classic comic book storylines to original stories; with Batman: Soul of the Dragon being the latter. This original feature marks a milestone as the 40th DC animated original movie with the next film, Justice Society: World War II, set to release in Spring 2021.
9 In Memory Of Dennis O’Neil (1939-2020)
Batman: Soul of the Dragon’s awesome cast includes Richard Dragon, Lady Shiva, Bronze Tiger, and O-Sensei, all characters created by the late, great Dennis O’Neil.
O’Neil was a legendary comic book writer and editor and created dozens of iconic heroes like John Stewart (Green Lantern) and Ra’s al Ghul for DC Comics and iconic villains like Marvel’s Lady Deathstrike and Iron Monger. O’Neil died on June 11, 2020, and this film not only centers on his characters but was dedicated to his memory.
8 Mark Dacascos As Richard Dragon
While in the comics Richard Dragon was depicted as a Caucasian male, this film decided to not only have the hero be of Asian descent but modeled the character directly after Bruce Lee in the classic '70s action film Enter the Dragon.
Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum) who voices Dragon is of mixed ancestry including Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish, and like Dragon is a martial artist himself having won numerous karate and kung-fu championships throughout his adolescence.
7 Michael Jai White As Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger
Ben Turner, aka Bronze Tiger, is an antihero who is often associated with both the Suicide Squad and the League of Assassins. He is a master martial artist and often fights with his tekko-kagi, which are like brass knuckles with protruding claws. Michael Jai White is a legend as one of the first African-American actors to play a live-action comic book hero as the title character in 1997's Spawn film.
White has gone on to do several voices across DC entertainment including Doomsday in the Justice League animated series and Osebo in Static Shock. In 2013, he joined CW’s Arrow as the Suicide Squad member Bronze Tiger, a role he reprises in Batman: Soul of the Dragon. In total, this is Michael Jai White’s seventh time working on a DC project.
6 Kelly Hu As Lady Shiva
Lady Shiva is known as one of the most skilled fighters in the DC Universe, often being cast as a villain for Batman. She has appeared outside of comics, including on shows Beware the Batman and Young Justice as well as the Batman: Arkham Origins video game.
In the latter she was voiced by actress Kelly Hu, who reprises the role in Batman: Soul of the Dragon. Like Dacascos, Hu is trained in martial arts and like her character is of Asian descent.
5 James Hong As O-Sensei
O-Sensei was a martial arts master in DC Comics training both Ben Turner (Bronze Tiger) and Richard Dragon as well as being the grandfather to Lady Shiva. While he hasn’t been a main staple in comics, his influence has been felt by several characters throughout the DC Universe.
In Batman: Soul of the Dragon, O-Sensei is voiced by Hollywood legend James Hong who is known for his role in Big Trouble in Little China and voice roles like Chi-Fu in Disney’s Mulan and Daolon Wong in the animated series Jackie Chan Adventures. While Hong hasn’t received nearly enough awards to honor his over 600 film and TV credits there is a movement that is working to get Hong a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
4 David Giuntoli As Bruce Wayne/Batman
Actor David Giuntoli got his start on MTV’s hit reality series Road Rules and throughout his career made guest appearances on several TV series including Nip/Tuck, Veronica Mars, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Giuntoli’s wife Elizabeth Tulloch got to join the CW’s Arrowverse portraying Lois Lane, whose new series Superman & Lois premiers February 23, 2021. However, David Giuntoli got his chance to play the caped crusader in this original Batman story with hopefully a possible sequel to come.
3 Kobra
Kobra is an international terrorist cult in the DC Universe that worships the serpent god of Nāga. This mythological creature is based on the real-world teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, where it is often depicted as a half-human, half-serpent being from the netherworld.
As has been done for over 2,000 years throughout South Asia, the cult in the movie is working to summon the divine-god through a ritualistic sacrifice.
2 Jamie Chung As Jade Nguyen
Alongside Ben Turner, Richard Dragon, and Lady Shiva is another student of O-Sensei’s: Jade. Jade is more commonly known in the comics by her villain name Cheshire which she adopted from Alice in Wonderland's Cheshire Cat.
In the movie, Jade is voiced by Jamie Chung, an actress who, like David Giuntoli, got her start on MTV’s The Real World. She has gone on to have a successful career starring in films like Dragonball Evolution, The Hangover Part II and III, and voicing a fellow crime-fighting young woman, Go Go Tomago, in Big Hero 6.
1 Nanda Parbat
The hidden city of Nanda Parbat is located in Hindu Kush, a mountain range that stretches across Afghanistan. Many characters have found themselves at one point in the sacred city including Deadman, Batman, and Judomaster who makes an unmasked appearance in this film as Rip Jagger.
Nanda Parbat was a major location in CW’s Arrowverse as the home of the League of Assassins. It is the main location in the flashback sequences of Batman: Soul of the Dragon and shows Bruce Wayne training alongside Richard Dragon under O-Sensei.