Holy (adjective) (noun), Batman! Our second bit of Lego related news for the evening (this time, about a real game) comes in the form of this fantastic new trailer for Lego Batman: The Video Game. We're positive that fans of The Dark Knight can find something to get excited about in this video, whether it be the inclusion of fan-favorite villainess Harley Quinn, the hint of a Catwoman romance subplot, or the chance to see some sweet Lego Joker ass. If, you know, that's your thing.

OK, we're going to warn up front before you cl- ... you already clicked on it, didn't you? Well, as you've probably already seen, there's not a whole lot to absorb in this brief Lego Batman teaser. But its definitely worth watching, especially considering how little time you'll be investing into the process. It also gives us a look at exactly which systems the game will be released for. (Answer: All.)

No, it's not gameplay, but how about when he slips his hands on like they're his gloves? ADORABLE. We keep getting more excited about Lego Batman, even if five pieces of conjoined plastic are the least believable Dark Knight ever ... except for George Clooney, of course.

A Manchester Evening News article profiles Jon Burton, the man who started up developer Traveller's Tales -- later transformed into TT Games and swallowed whole by Warner Bros. last week. From humble beginnings in Cheshire, England in 1989, the company has grown to accomodate over 200 employees across the country and has sold over 42 million games, the majority of which were based on licensed properties. The report asserts that Burton, who owns 80% of the company, sold TT Games to Warner Bros. for the sum of "about" £100 million (approximately $210 million) spread over five years.

"After 18 years in the video games industry, the opportunity to become a meaningful part of the world's leading entertainment company is the fulfilment of a dream," said Burton. The Warner siblings are sure to be just as grateful, as their array of films and TT Games' success with licensed properties click together perfectly, much like those Lego bricks everyone's so fond of these days.

Not satisfied with merely financing, publishing, and distributing LEGO Batman, Warner Bros. has decided to purchase the whole pie, bagging developer Traveler's Tales and its parent group TT Games. While we haven't been told just how much cash will be stuffed into the briefcase when it changes hands, we do know the acquisition encompasses both the development and publishing arms of TT Games, which owns game rights to a book about obscure world records. Recreating the longest ironing session ever (55 hours, 5 minutes, fyi) would certainly be a thrill, but we've got our fingers crossed for a proper Matrix treatment to follow on the heels of LEGO Indy. Go ahead, eat the red brick -- we dare ya!

We love it when news stories actually leave us more confused than when we began. Take, for instance, IGN's nugget that Jonathan Smith, head of production at Traveller's Tales, recently let fly with a few details about Lego Batman during a public unveiling of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

IGN said Smith related that "Batman villains Nighthawk and Man-Bat are among the denizens of Gotham City who'll make it into the game." We'll let the fanboys froth for a sentence while we explain to the rest of you why that's so odd. ... As far as we know, there is no Batman villain named Nighthawk. Now, if we can geek out on you for a moment, there is a Nighthawk who's a cowboy who's appeared in a couple of Robin annuals. There's also Nightwing, a moniker used by (among others) Dick Grayson, after he got too old for the Robin gig. There's also a third possibility of Nighthawk being a new creation, but with such a deep rogue's gallery to draw on, that seems kind of pointless.

We've emailed IGN for clarification, hopefully we'll have something soon.

To the common people like you and us, the laymen, MCV's story about Traveller's Tales being close to finding a publisher for the Lego version of Batman might be a little bit dull. So why are we sharing it with you? Well, we just liked being reminded that Lego Batman is still coming out, and we thought you might too.

MCV's making some educated guesses about who the publisher of the game will be like Warner, Eidos and LucasArts. But you know what question we can't stop wondering about long enough to care who's publishing it? Will Lego Joker at some point wonder aloud "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" Because we can't promise we won't try to kiss our TVs right on the mouth if that goes down.

We imagine the office floors of UK developer, TT Games, being completely covered in developers sitting with their legs crossed and their eyes firmly fixated on their latest Lego creations. When other groups are hard at work stringing together reams of code and drawing concept sketches, these guys are building bridges, stacking blocks and crying in anguish whenever a careless passerby kicks over a wall. They're making Lego games -- and lots of them too.

The studio's head of production, Jonathan Smith, tells GamesIndustry.biz that the Lego tracks have been put down beyond Lego Batman (bricking multiple consoles in 2008). "We have genuinely exciting plans for future Lego titles," says Smith, noting that the positive response earned by the Lego Star Wars games is pushing his team to exceed expectations. Though the titles have been popular among the young ones, it's not unusual to spot an "adult" having a good time with familiar characters and equally familiar building blocks.

Though no other Lego-fied franchises are mentioned, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Lego Pink Panther, Lego Carmen Sandiego: Where in the World is That Damn Piece?, Lego Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Brickening and of course, Lego Lego Batman (the game based on the Lego based on the game).

There's not much here we didn't know six months ago when CVG revealed that Traveler's Tales, the developers behind the popular LEGO Star Wars games, would be tackling the Dark Knight next ... well, not physically tackling him per se. He is Batman after all. But today, Variety reports that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be financing, publishing, and handling North American distribution of the block-centric game based on their classic, caped-crusading, crime fighter.

WBIE is increasingly handling the publishing duties for games based on their properties: the 300 PSP game, the now-stalled Dirty Harry project, and now LEGO Batman, due in 2008 on "multiple consoles."

[Via Game Stooge]