Think about it. We haven't seen a live action Batman on television since Adam West took on the mantle. We all know how long ago that was, so fast forward to 2018, shouldn't we have seen another live-action Batman by now? Considering the gigantic fan base Batman has, it feels like it's only a matter of time. At least, that's how it feels anyway. Whether it manifests into a reality or not remains to be seen. However, let's look into the ways Batman could be introduced through TV.
The CW is known for its ever expanding universe of DC superheroes. With the likes of
Arrow, The Flash,
Legends of Tomorrow, and
Supergirl, you would think Gotham City has a home there somewhere. The interesting thing about this
"Arrowverse" is how different these shows are from each other, yet they're all connected. Arrow is more on the dark side, while something like
Supergirl and
The Flash is more on the lighthearted side. Don't forget about Black Lightning, as while he may not be officially connected with that world now, that could easily be addressed later down the line. So the point surrounding this is that there are a good amount of options with the CW DC shows.
Another thing we shouldn't forget is that Batman technically already exists in this universe. Arrow has mentioned
Bruce Wayne by name on his corner, and even
Supergirl dropped a little Easter Egg on the city of
Gotham. Rest assured, the one and only Dark Knight is lurking in the
Arrowverse somewhere.
However, the chances we ever see him in action are low. Reason why is because the CW is focused on so many other heroes, that someone as complex as Batman may not fit after all. Besides, they made the Green Arrow character somewhat like Batman anyway, so it would be a bit repetitive to see two dark vigilantes on the same network. That's not to say Batman wouldn't be welcomed on the CW. Nonetheless, a couple Easter Eggs here and there is probably about as far as we see Batman make his presence on this channel.
Let's move onto another avenue. That will be the new
Titans show that is reportedly coming on DC's new streaming service this year. Not a lot is known about this show so far, but one thing everyone knows is that Robin will be a main character here. Of course, with someone like the Boy Wonder, you may start to wonder if his father-like figure will peek his head into this show once or twice. Maybe even as a recurring character. Another possibility is we may see flashbacks involving Robin, so that would most likely include Batman. If not, then just Bruce Wayne himself is another option. We will see where they go with this, but don't be surprised if Titans invites Gotham's protector on the show.
Speaking of
Gotham, let's go to that topic.
Gotham on Fox has been a rather big hit. Sure, it's had its controversial changes and backlash, but it has its definite fans as well. It's really the reason why it's on its fourth season now. As of now, Gotham is focusing on its villains like usual, but in this current season, it's also focusing on Bruce Wayne's transformation into Batman. He doesn't have the cape or Batmobile yet, but this incarnation of Bruce Wayne is now starting to be a vigilante. Hiding in the shadows, beating up muggers, but getting a few life lessons on the way. Now, this show was originally intended to focus on Jim Gordon and the GCPD only. However, as the episodes went on, the spotlight went onto Bruce Wayne and his future super-villains as well.
Could
Gotham actually be the first TV show in a long time, to feature a full-fledged Batman? Well, they're certainly getting close to it. If they ever do go that far, this would be the youngest version of the Bat we've ever seen. In this show, he's somewhere around the 16-17 range. So with the pace he's going, an actual Batman may be more likely than not.
Overall, Batman is obviously a very sacred character to a lot of people. If he's going to be done, he must be done right. Forcing him on TV for the sake of it, is really not the way to go. However, time will tell if we see a proper live-action Batman on TV. Until then, we have the movies for that. Or at least, that's until the DCEU gets it together.