Warner Brothers announced today that Matt Reeves would be producing a TV series that’s a The Batman spin-off, centered on the Gotham City Police Department. The series will arrive on HBO Max at some point after the release of the Robert Pattinson starring film. Joining Reeves are Terrence Winter, notable for his work on The Sopranos and The Wolf of Wall Street, as well as Dylan Clark, a producer on The Batman.
While this news is exciting, it raises several questions and, in my opinion, comes with a few red flags.
The Batman Spin-Off And the Police
First and foremost, this show’s premise is a concerning one, especially when considering the state of the United States’ Police Force. Many of the men and women who vowed to protect American lives have displayed a ruthless disregard for the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19 safety protocols, and the safety and well being of protestors across the nation, and that’s putting it nicely.
Police racism and brutality are serious issues that need to be resolved. That’s not a political statement; It’s simply a fact. There are those who would like to see the police force, as it exists currently, abolished and replaced with a new system. Certain cities have already taken action towards achieving this goal. Even if you don’t believe starting from scratch is the right way to fix the issues inherent in law enforcement today, it would be ignorant to think that change is unnecessary.
““People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
-V For Vendetta
Matt Reeves, Terrence Winter, Dylan Clark, and every individual involved in the development of The Batman spin-off series have a duty and responsibility to illuminate the deep seated problems within the police force. This series needs to examine the painful, dark reality of corruption and violence that has plagued American lives for far too long. If they don’t, this will simply become a new form of police propaganda, which is absolutely the wrong thing for DC and the entertainment industry as a whole.
As talented a filmmaker as he is, there’s no doubt that Reeves can craft an engaging, provocative story that puts a spotlight on corruption and police brutality. There’s never been a more important time to send that message.
Lucky for Reeves, stories revolving around the Gotham City Police Department have tackled this issue thoughtfully and intelligently numerous times in the past, across many mediums. Sean Murphy’s Batman: White Knight and the FOX television series Gotham are two examples of DC storytelling that tackled such an important topic. And if Reeves plays his cards right, this GCPD procedural could be the next evolution, as it will focus more closely on the police than almost any other DC story.
How Will The Batman Spin-Off Differentiate Itself From Gotham?
Speaking of Gotham, one has to ask, “how will Reeves’ The Batman spin-off series differentiate itself from the FOX program?” While details on the upcoming series are extremely limited, it’s safe to assume a few key details.
First and foremost, Gotham was a series that split it’s time between two lead characters, namely Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne. While a Pattinson appearance isn’t currently out of the question, it’s clear that this series is a GCPD show above all else.
RELATED: JEFFREY WRIGHT SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE BATMAN
On top of that, this series’ placement in the same universe as The Batman practically guarantees a high budget and production value, something that Gotham notoriously struggled with. As for the characters who will appear in the The Batman spin-off series, while nothing official has been confirmed, Selina Kyle, Oswald Cobblepot, James Gordon, Carmine Falcone, and more exist within the universe and could make appearances. If they do, it will likely be in a guest starring role, as opposed to Gotham’s heavily rogues gallery oriented approach.
While it’s exciting to speculate on the numerous facets of this upcoming series, it is important to realize that this series may never see the light of day.
Yes, Warner Brothers seems to be putting their full faith in this franchise, and yes, Matt Reeves did recently sign an overall deal with WB Television group. Do I expect this series to see the light of day? Of course. But I expected to see the original DCEU slate come to fruition, and obviously that didn’t happen. DC loves to talk a big game and get ahead of themselves, planning spin-offs well before they know how a franchise will be received initially, only to quietly cancel those plans. It happened with Suicide Squad, and again with Justice League. I see no reason to believe it couldn’t happen with The Batman.
Are you interested in this Gotham City Police Department centered series? What other DC projects would you like to see Matt Reeves tackle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media!
KEEP READING: THE BATMAN DIRECTOR MATT REEVES DIGS DEEP INTO BATMAN RETURNS, THE DARK KNIGHT, AND HIS NEW BATMAN
