Matt Reeves is planning an extended stay in Gotham, as Warner Bros. and HBO Max announce a police procedural set in DC’s infamous city of crime and in the same universe as the upcoming The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson. Tentatively called Gotham Central, after Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka’s comic of the early 2000’s, the spin-off also brings on board Boardwalk Empire creator and famed The Sopranos writer Terrence Winter. Reeves will develop and produce the series, while Winter will write and executive produce.
Although it’s confirmed to be in the same universe as Warner Bros.’ hotly-anticipated The Batman, it’s unclear if Pattinson will make an appearance as the caped crusader, or if Jeffrey Wright will appear as Commissioner Gordon – let alone if the two will even take place in the same time, or take direction from Fox’s Gotham, which focused on the period of time before Batman existed. No casting has been confirmed as of yet, and work on The Batman is only just beginning to pick up again. In other words, it may be quite some time before we hear anymore on the Gotham police procedural.
Per THR, the HBO Max series will be “set in the world Reeves is creating for The Batman feature film and will build upon the motion picture’s examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City, ultimately launching a new Batman universe across multiple platforms. The series provides an unprecedented opportunity to extend the world established in the movie and further explore the myriad of compelling and complex characters of Gotham.”
Likely in an effort to compete with Disney’s pantheon of cape and cowl television like Loki and WandaVision, Warner Bros. has made a concerted effort to do the same, not only with this The Batman spin-off, but in other corners of the DCU as well. A few months back, HBO announced plans to bring J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production banner on board for a series of Justice League Dark films and TV shows, and Doom Patrol continues to capture fans’ hearts.
Here’s what Reeves has to say on the reveal: “This is an amazing opportunity, not only to expand the vision of the world I am creating in the film, but to explore it in the kind of depth and detail that only a longform format can afford,” said Reeves in a statement. “And getting to work with the incredibly talented Terence Winter, who has written so insightfully and powerfully about worlds of crime and corruption, is an absolute dream.”
Finally, it’s noteworthy that this announcement comes on the heels of widespread, continuing protests of police brutality and a new push for racial justice in the United States’ legal system. Given that plot details on the Gotham Central police procedural are non-existent at this early stage, it might be presumptive to assume a stance the show might take – but we all know corporations’ track records in this regard.
