Young Justice (TV series)

Young Justice is an American superhero animated television series developed by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network and later HBO Max, based loosely on a broader range of characters from the DC Universe. Set on Earth-16 within the DC Multiverse, the show focuses on the lives of teenage superheroes and sidekicks, particularly the core characters, Robin (voiced by Jesse McCartney), Kid Flash (Jason Spisak), Aqualad (Khary Payton), Superboy (Nolan North), Miss Martian (Danica McKellar), and Artemis (Stephanie Lemelin), who operate as a covert team under the supervision of the Justice League. Across its four seasons, the series evolved from a teen drama-spy series into an adult drama that explores more mature topics.

Development began between 2008 and 2009, based on an amalgamation of DC characters, particularly Young Justice and Teen Titans, and initially set during the early days of the superhero era, before much of the established DC continuity. It serves as a reboot, focusing on the formative years of the DC Universe through selected characters reflecting that timeline. Later, DC’s The Multiversity (2014–2015) comic series presented Young Justice as a fictional show within the original Earth-16.

The series premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010. It ran for two seasons before being canceled in 2013. However, following strong fan support, it was revived for a third season, Young Justice: Outsiders, which premiered on DC Universe in 2019, followed by a fourth season, Young Justice: Phantoms, on HBO Max in 2021. Although the series has not been officially canceled, no new season has been greenlit, despite the creators confirming they have plans for seasons five through seven.

The series was critically acclaimed for its mature, complex storytelling, and it became a cult favorite and one of Cartoon Network’s highest-rated shows during its original run. It was also one of the top, most in-demand digital original series in the United States from 2019 to 2025.