A portion of a Gamecyte interview with Jonathan Smith, VP of Publishing for TT...

GC: Why Batman, then? What inspired the choice of Batman as the next LEGO game?

JS: Because he’s the world’s greatest hero! Because he lives in a universe of the most colorful, brilliant, fun characters. Because we’re fans — and we were fans of Star Wars when we did LEGO Star Wars, and I think that comes through in the games we’ve made. We’re fans of Batman as well; I’ve always been a DC fan. That’s definitely where we’re orientated. In terms of the relevance for a broad audience, which is something that’s important to us, Batman is someone with nearly 70 years of heritage, relevant both now for older gamers like us, parents like ourselves, and for our children, and other people’s children as well.

Gotham City In terms of gameplay, there are specific reasons why Batman and Gotham City are cool places for us to be. In particular, the characters have got such strength of personality that the LEGO treatment — which is unique, where we just build the characteristics of these characters into a particularly stylized, iconic form — there are certain types of characters in the world of fiction which can better translate, more strongly translate through that process. And it’s clear that the iconic characteristics of Batman, and the villains as well, that have carried them so successfully through entertainment and imagination over the decades, meant that they would work very well; and so it has proved that they are all brilliant to play with. And of course, they kick ass…

Full interview here