Warning: minor SPOILERS for Teen Titans Go! to the Movies are ahead!
Just like the Teen Titans Go! TV series, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies handles Robin, Stafire, Beast Boy, Raven and Cyborg's adventures with a more humorous hand than the original animated Teen Titans series did. As a result, along with the usual gags and shenanigans associated with these characters on their TV show, this movie also pokes fun at the superhero genre, particularly DC Comics. One example of this takes place halfway through Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, as Robin walks by Batman and Superman fighting each other. The Caped Crusader and Man of Steel briefly cease their battle when they discover that both their mothers are named Martha, only to resume trading blows upon learning that their fathers don't share the same name. It's a fun swipe at Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but according to co-director Aaron Horvath, Warner Bros did not care for the joke. Teen Titans Go! to the Movies' other director, Peter Rida Michail, added:
That one in particular was on the chopping block for months. Our executive producer Sam Register was fighting hard for that one, and right at the end of it they let us keep it.
While Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was overall a commercial success, it took a critical beating during its theatrical run (though the Ultimate Edition home release earned warmer reception), and one of the frequently teased elements has been Batman stopping short of killing Superman during their big fight after the Kryptonian asked the shadowy vigilante to "save Martha," a.k.a. Martha Kent. Whether you like that moment or not, it's been mocked numerous times in the years since Batman v Superman's release, and Teen Titans Go! to the Movies decided to get in on the action. Evidently Warner Bros wasn't keen on the Martha bit in Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, but after it earned one of the biggest laughs at the test screenings, it was kept. As Horvath said to EW:
We're making a comedy movie, and if you get a laugh, it's like, do you want to be the guy who cuts laughs out of the movie?
Just like the Deadpool movies have been doing in an R-rated setting, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is filled with fourth wall-breaking, from Green Lantern saying that people don't talk about his movie (for good reason) to the heroes thinking that Slade is actually Deadpool. Marvel legend Stan Lee even cameoed! Like almost everything about Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, the Martha bit was just a way to get a chuckle out of moviegoers, whether they're kids who haven't seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or hardcore DC fans who are very familiar with the movie.
Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is now playing in theaters, and be sure to read CinemaBlend's review of the movie. If you're interested in what's coming out later this year, look through our 2018 release schedule.
