Following the success of Matt Reeves’The Batman, there was a concerted effort to expand the iconicDChero’s universe with a number of spin-off shows that would help flesh out this iteration of Gotham City.The Batmanwas a success for DC when they were struggling, which makes sense that they would want to go all in on something audiences and critics both loved. With the emergence of theDCU led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, now heads of DC Studios, it seems like those spin-offs fell to the wayside.
Now thatThe Penguinis officially out and very good, it gives a glimpse of what these various spin-offs ofThe Batmancould have been. One of those was a series revolving around the Gotham Police Department. Eventually,theGotham PDseries was scrapped, leaving fans to wonder what was going to happen to Matt Reeves' Batman universe. Here’s everything we know about that canceledGotham PDshow and how it affected this burgeoning universe.
The Batman Was Planned To Have Multiple Spin-Offs
Matt Reeves' Batman universe wasn’t just going to be a trilogy starting with 2022’sThe Batman. It seemed likeReeves was truly set on building out this massive universe, with various points of view along the way.Gotham PDwas one of the earliest projects announced, but eventually morphed into anArkham Asylumseries instead. Eventually, James Gunn said that Arkham Asylum was going to bedeveloped for the DCU instead, but that seems to no longer be happening, leavingThe Penguinas the only spin-off toThe Batmanat the moment.
Gotham PD
Canceled
It’s a shame thatbothGotham PDandArkham Asylumwere canceledas they could have provided another view into this universe. Luckily, Dylan Clark, producer ofThe BatmanandThe Penguin,recently revealed they are currently working on another series. It’s unclear what it will be about, butSelina Kyle is the perfect character for the new spin-off of The Batman.
Gotham PD Was A 1970s-Style Cop Drama
Much likeThe BatmanorThe Penguin, theGotham PDseries would have had its own style, with roots in a certain genre and then worked out to fit in a comic book universe. ForGotham PD, it would have been a 1970s-style cop show. It would have centered on a present-day cop that begins to see the corruption in the Gotham City Police Department.LikeThe Penguin, it most likely wouldn’t have featured Batman in any capacity, instead mentioning him sporadically throughout.
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The central premise ofThe Batmanis Riddler leading him down a rabbit hole to unearth the rampant corruption in Gotham. It runs deeper than Batman realized, but at the same time, it feels like he hasn’t even begun to get to the heart of it. Gotham PD would have continued to show that corruption,setting the stage for what comes next inThe Batman Part IIand beyond. It will be interesting to see if the new series being worked on will incorporate any ideas they had forGotham PDinto the show.
Why Gotham PD Was Canceled
In an interview with Variety, the original showrunner for Gotham PD, Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire), opened up about his exit from the series. He explained that Matt Reeves wasn’t"feeling it"and that theGothamseries sort of “stepped on the toes of our idea a little bit.” Gotham PD was going to go in a much different direction thanGotham, but when their central premises both revolve around the Gotham Police Department, comparisons will be made no matter what.
After Terence Winter exited the show, Joe Barton (Giri/Haji) replaced him as showrunner, buteventuallyGotham PDturned intoArkham Asylum,which was also scrapped. Matt Reeves talked about HBO executives loving what he is doing with the universe, but wanted the spin-offs to focus on more well-known characters instead, which is the most likely reason the series did not move forward.
With HBO wanting to focus on more marquee characters, a Selina Kyle series definitely feels possible.
The Batmanuniverse that Matt Reeves ushered into existence is perfect for a number of spin-offsthat could further explore Gotham City and the world that Batman lives in.The Penguinhas already shown they can be a great way to expand the universe. There will always be a what-if regarding theGotham PDseries and what it could have been. It’s a shame it never got off the ground as it could have been an interesting direction to take following the success ofThe Batman.
The Batman
Cast
The Batman follows a young Bruce Wayne as he investigates a sadistic serial killer targeting key political figures in Gotham. As he delves deeper, he is confronted by the city’s hidden corruption and questions surrounding his own family’s legacy.
