‘Gotham’ is greenlit, no one is surprised

Next year could be one hell of a year for comic book fans. The WB’s Arrow, long ago renewed for a third season, has been getting progressively better, and The Flash is set to debut alongside it and set in the same universe (you know what that means….crossovers!). And despite all that’s going on in story, the only way ABC and Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD doesn’t get a season renewal is if Marvel decides not to continue it.

But now Fox is throwing their hats into the ring, and today they announced the upcoming Gotham had gotten a full series order. Given the popularity of the Batman franchise and it’s inclusion in the upcoming, still technically untitled Man of Steel sequel, that’s no surprise.

I’m still not quite certain how I feel about this one. Smallville is being regarded as the template, but even it dropped sharply in quality after it’s second season and left me feeling unsatisfied (as you probably recall me mentioning in passing). It looks as though Gotham will carry a darker tone, more akin to a crime drama as it follows a young James Gordon during his first years on the Gotham PD, with the series slated to begin shortly before the murder of The Waynes. Based on the trailer, the series may also feature heavily into Gordon mentoring the orphaned Bruce Wayne.

Starring Ben McKenzie (The OC, Southland) as Gordon, Sean Pertwee (Equilibrium, The Five(Ish) Doctors Reboot) as Alfred Pennyworth, Jada Pinkett Smith (Set It Off, Scream 2) as Fish Mooney, Donal Logue (Grounded for Life, Terriers) as Harvey Bullock, David Mazouz (Touch) as a young Bruce Wayne and introducing Camren Bicondova as a young Selina Kyle, Gotham is set to debut sometime this fall.

Look! A trailer!