Attention superhero fans, I’m here with good news and bad news about Matt Reeves’ upcoming film, “The Batman.” The good news is that WarnerMedia is so happy with the direction of the new ‘Batman’ film, the studio is developing a brand-new spin-off series on HBO Max of the upcoming feature, focused on the crime and corruption in Gotham City. The bad news (well, could be good news depending on your opinion) is that this news all but confirms that “The Batman” is set to exist in a world all its own and isn’t likely going to tie into any other DC properties.
There’s no title for the forthcoming ‘Batman’ spin-off series, except that it sounds a lot like a “Gotham”-esque series about the crime element of the fabled city. However, it’s likely HBO Max isn’t trying to reboot “Gotham” and instead is taking cues from Greg Rucka’s acclaimed comic book series, “Gotham Central.” And Reeves is on board to help produce the new series, while Terrence Winter (creator of “Boardwalk Empire” and writer-producer for “The Sopranos”) is going to help write and produce the drama.
According to HBO Max, the 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.”
Matt Reeves said, “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 — 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.”
“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC allows us to elaborate and grow fan connections across these powerful brands for years to come. This is Batman as most audiences have never seen before and we know fans will want to spend more time in this new world inspired by the film,” added Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max, president TNT, TBS, and TruTV.
Obviously, there’s no release date set for the untitled series. However, it’s clear that HBO Max would like a ‘Batman’ series sooner rather than later. “The Batman” is set to debut on October 1, 2021.
