The DCEU is expanding with a new Batman spinoff focusing on James Gordon. The Batman spinoff, Gotham PD, will reportedly focus on James Gordon, forgoing using the Gotham Central comic by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker as inspiration. Gotham Central comic book writer Ed Brubaker has shared what he knows about The Batman spinoff series coming to HBO Max, revealing that, from what he’s been told, it will focus primarily on James Gordon.
Brubaker, who co-wrote the 2002 police procedural comic Gotham Central, recently appeared on Kevin Smith’s Fatman Beyond podcast and shared what he knew about the upcoming HBO Max series, Batman News reports.
“I was like ‘maybe they’re really going to make Gotham Central this time,’ and so I reached out to a producer who works for Matt Reeves and he says, ‘no, that’s not really Gotham Central.’” Brubaker said. “They’re making sure that they don’t call it Gotham Central and it’s more of a spinoff from the movie. It’s like the James Gordon show.”
Gotham PD will serve as a prequel to director Matt Reeves’s 2022 The Batman starring Robert Pattinson), set during the first year of the Dark Knight’s career as a hero. Warner Bros. is clearly confident that fans will embrace Matt Reeves’ vision for the DC Universe in The Batman because the small screen spinoff is already in the works for HBO Max. Reeves is currently producing the series, which has struggled to hold onto a showrunner. Current showrunner, Joe Barton, previously created and wrote an eight-episode crime thriller Giri/Haji for BBC Two and Netflix. He also wrote 2017’s supernatural horror film The Ritual.
This could likely mean that the Dark Knight will have a role to play. This is possibly more than a myth at this stage. He will probably be somewhere in the background. The focus of the spinoff will primarily be on the Gotham City Police Department, with Reeves confirming that it takes place from the POV of a corrupt cop.
Brubaker’s comments suggest that Jeffrey Wright, who plays Gordon in Reeves’ The Batman, may play the officer again in the spinoff series, but no casting information has been announced as of yet.
Further details about Gotham PD remain scarce, with no release date announced, and Reeves’ Batman film suffering delays due to COVID-19.
