Fans of DC Comics and their iconic caped crusader were slightly confused when it was announced that Warner Bros had auctioned the rights to Fox Television for a GOTHAM series that would not feature its most famous resident. It was then revealed that the licensing rights deal acquired by Fox, stipulated that a full series was an absolute guarantee from the studio unless they wanted to face a hefty penalty. We soon discovered that THE MENTALIST creator Bruno Heller was on board to develop the show and that it will revolve around a young James Gordon before meeting Batman and becoming commissioner.
This was met with a mixed response from fans, however Fox chairman of entertainment Kevin Reilly has now given some fresh and much more exciting details on the project. According to Reilly the series is not just an origin story for James Gordon but also a young Bruce Wayne shortly after his parents’ murder. The show will reportedly follow both characters with the eventual series finale showing audiences the moment when an adult Bruce Wayne finally puts on the cape and cowl for the first time. Taking inspiration from Superman-themed origin series SMALLVILLE, the show definitely sounds much more appealing after this news. Even more interesting than that however was the announcement that we will also see the origins of some of Batman’s most famous rogues including Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and The Joker. You can read the full interview with Reilly below for more juicy details on GOTHAM:
‘This is an origin story for young Bruce Wayne,’ Reilly said, promising that all of the classic Batman characters and villains would make an appearance, including: The Penguin, The Riddler, Commissioner Gordon, and The Joker. This is a series about ‘Gotham on the brink’ he said, and ‘how they all became who they were, what events led up to these characters becoming Catwoman [and so on]’.
After describing the series as ‘operatic’ and ‘larger-than-life’ Reilly discussed the young Bruce Wayne that audiences will see.
‘The actor will grow-up, if we do our job well he’ll be a young man and ready [to be Batman] by the end,’ he said. ‘Which isn’t to say we might not skip ahead’.
On discussing the entire franchise as a whole and how many characters they are entitled to use, Reilly gave a refreshing answer.
‘We own all the rights.That’s what we’re licencing. They brought us the entire franchise for a very healthy licence fee. We’re not negotiating this piece meal. We have all of the underlying Batman rights for the entire franchise for this series’.
‘That’s what I like about this, it’s not some sort of adjunct companion series. This is the Batman franchise, just backing it up. I think that gives it a real focus as to what the show is about and what stories we’re telling’.
Reilly was then asked whether the series will have any connection to the upcoming BATMAN VS SUPERMAN and Ben Affleck’s version of the character.
‘Warner Brothers manages the entire franchise and its one of their top global franchises of all. So there will be an awareness of both and we’ll have to coordinate when we’re in the market place, but the productions are not piggy-backing off one another’.
After stating that the series will carry the same gritty tone of Christopher Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT trilogy, Reilly was asked how quickly the shows various characters will assume their villainous alter-ego’s. His answer gives us more reason to believe GOTHAM will be at least partially influenced by SMALLVILLE.
‘We’re arcing to that. We’re not starting in that world where the villains are in costume. You see markers for it that are kind of delicious. You begin to see the evolution of the eccentricities that become those characters, but you really sort of arc there. We don’t start out in capes and costumes’.
The obligatory ‘spin-off’ question was then asked due to the current popularity of expanding the world of television.
Reilly stated that he ‘certainly hopes so’ regarding spin-off productions. Adding, ‘Do I think we’ll peel out The Riddler? I don’t. There’s a large tapestry of characters to service over many years. So I hope we can just keep it on for a long, long run’.
Finally Reilly was asked how long the first season of GOTHAM will be.
‘Warner Brothers would like it to be 22 because they’d like as many as they can get’.
GOTHAM is starting to sound more and more like a blender mix of Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT trilogy, ARROW and SMALLVILLE combined into one and I couldn’t be more excited. Danny Cannon (JUDGE DREDD, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION) will direct and executive produce the pilot for the series which is expected to begin production shortly. Expect casting announcements sooner rather than later as Warners and Fox will be racing to get the series ready for a fall 2014 premiere no doubt.
