INTRODUCTION
Batman. The Dark Knight. In a dark city.
Orphaned as a child when his parents were gunned down in front of him, Bruce Wayne used the symbol of his deepest fear to combat the criminals of Gotham. Along the way he gains and loses allies, but this has always been his fight.
Along the way larger than life villains emerge, such as the Joker, the Penguin, King Tut, Catwoman, the Riddler, Two-Face, Black Mask and countless others.
But ultimately this is Batman’s story.
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TONE & INSPIRATION
One could think of this more of a live-action version of Batman: The Animated Series than a revival of the 1960s Adam West series, however the tone is more PG-13 with the violence and deep subject matters, allowing us to tell more mature stories. Visual inspiration would be taken from the popular fan films by Bat in the Sun Productions.
The difference with Gotham: The Series as opposed to the movies is the focus is more on the character of Batman than the action – the world’s greatest detective teaming – or sometimes rejecting – his allies to continue his lifelong goal of taking the fear of crime off the streets. This is ‘Batman’ already established, not ‘Bruce Wayne’.
The goal of this series is to faithfully retell the Batman legend as it appears in the comics, however some things are moved around, such as the Robins, and some characters’ introductions are slightly changed, reason being that a Television Series is a different type of storytelling than movies or comics.
The advantage of this format over feature films for retelling the story is there is more time to go into depth with the various characters, and introduce and develop more of the familiar rogues’ gallery.
Unlike Christopher Nolan’s universe, there is every possibility that alien life and super powered humans exist, for example Superman, Wonder Woman and other members of the Justice League, that Batman will become a member of. Very possibly this is the same universe as the CW’s Smallville.
This being 13 episodes, ala The Sopranos and Doctor Who, doesn’t allow for filler episodes that some network shows are littered with, thus allowing us to tell tight and compelling arcs, plus HBO would be an ideal platform. The feel would be almost like getting a new mini-Batman movie each week.
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POSSIBLE NETWORKS
- A&E
- AMC
- HBO
- ShowTime
- Starz
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FORMAT
7 seasons
13 episodes per season
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REGULAR CAST
Batman - Ben McKenzie
Commissioner Gordon - Bryan Cranston
Alfred Pennyworth - Hugh Laurie
Lucius Fox - Idris Elba (Seasons 1-3; 4-7 recurring)
Harvey Dent - undecided (Season 1 regular; Season 4-7 recurring as Two-Face)
Vicki Vale undecided (Seasons 1-2)
Sarah Essen - undecided (Seasons 1-2)
Dick Grayson - Thomas Dekker (s2e6 onwards-Season 4; TV Movie; Season 6-7 recurring as Nightwing)
Det Harvey Bullock - Artie Lange (Season 1&2 recurring; Season 3-7 regular)
Renee Montoya - undecided (Season 2 recurring; Season 3-7 regular)
Barbara Gordon - Rachel Nicholas (Season 3 redcurring; Serasons 4-5 as Batgirl; Sesons 6-7 as Oracle)
Jason Todd - Logan Lerman (Season 4)
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REGULAR LOCATIONS
• Wayne Manor
• The Batcave
• GCPD Headquarters
• The Iceberg Lounge
• Wayne Enterprises
• Gotham Globe office
• Streets of Gotham
• Crime Alley
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NOTES
• None of this is set in stone. This is a guide to how the series might flow.
• The villains are a guide to how they are introduced. Many will reoccur, but it would not be wise to introduce all the major ones in one go. I’d only have 6 main villains a season.
• I’ve put The Penguin in the Iceberg Lounge to save him being another ‘freak of the week’. That doesn’t mean he escapes from going to jail though...
• Same with the recurring characters other than Batman – associates (enemies and allies) will come and go
• Batman may change his costume more than once
• As many characters possible will be fully-rounded, and possibly developed in a way people may not expect. For example, there is a danger that the Riddler could be too similar to the Joker.
• No Tim Drake? I can’t see Batman taking on a young protégé after what the Joker does. The effects will be HUGE! Unless Nightwing finds and mentors him as his own successor, feeling there should be a Robin. I just don’t like the idea of too many heroes!
• Characters like Stephanie Brown & Helena Bertenelli would appear in civilian form only, but possibly in major roles.
• Damien Wayne possibly doesn’t exist, but I’d like to include the popular Kate Kane/Batwoman at some point. This is a very male-orientated show, so people will appreciate a larger female presence. I feel the inspiration era spans from YEAR ONE to just after HUSH
• I like to imagine this in a DC Universe where Superman and the Justice League etc. could exist, as opposed to the realistic Nolan take.
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SEASON ONE
This isn’t Batman Year One, the animated film and Nolan’s movie have already done that. This is a bit like Burton’s first movie – the Dark Knight has been around for a little while now, as an urban legend, apparently sorting out minor thugs, but this frustrates the police, in particular newly promoted police Commissioner Gordon.
We meet the Joker, a man who will prove to play a big part in Batman’s life.
Suddenly they come face-to-face, and Batman has to prove to Gordon that he can be trusted. His origin will be told in flashback in some episodes of the series, and gang wars will be a huge part of the season
RECURRING: Carmaine Falcone; Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin (Bob Hoskins); Harvey Bullock; Dr Leeslie Thompkins (Jane Fonda)
GUEST VILLAINS: Lady Shiva, Ra's Al Ghul (Jason Isaacs); The Joker (Paul Bettany); Sal Maroni; Dr Hugo Strange (Mark Strong); Mr Zsasz
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SEASON TWO
With Baman and Gordon as tentative allies, the war on crime steps up a notch. Newer, weirder villains start showing up. Harvey Dent has disappeared, and the new District Attourney is not nearly as good. Essen is murdered by the Joker, while Bruce & Vicki’s relationship ends and Selina Kyle shows up, before donning the mask as Catwoman – but Bruce doesn’t yet know her identity. In Episode 6, around the halfway mark, Bruce & Selina attend Haley’s Circus, where all Flying Graysons are brutally murdered but one – young Dick Grayson. Bruce takes him in, he discovers the secret and begins training.
RECURRING: Carmaine Falcon, Harvey Bullock (Artie Lange); Renee Montoya; Dr Leslie Thompkins (Jane Fonda)
GUEST VILLAINS: Joker (Paul Bettany), Catwoman (Kate Beckinsale), The penguin (Bob Hoskins), Tony Zucco, Egghead (Sir Patrick Stewart), Man-Bat
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SEASON THREE
Dick establishes himself as Robin, the Boy Wonder, a crimefighting partner to Batman. After Falcone’s death and Maroni’s imprisonment, the gangs are left without a leader, leaving crime on the street to get more frequent and less organised. The show would get less orientated on fighting gangs, but rather independent villains.
RECURRING: Barbara Gordon (Rachel Nichols)
GUEST VILLAINS: Joker (Paul Bettany), The Riddler (David Tennant), The Scarecrow, The Mad Hatter (Robin Williams), Talia Al Ghul (Jessica Alba)
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SEASON FOUR
Batman & Robin’s relationship begins to turn sour, with the two constantly disagreeing and Dick to concentrate more on his studies. Noticing Batman struggling alone, Barbara dons the mantle of Batgirl, and begins helping out.
At the end of the season, Dick declares he is no longer needed, and leaves Gotham. Harvey Dent makes a return, but he has changed dramatically, and there is a new wannabe kingpin, Black Mask.
RECURRIGN: None
GUEST VILLAINS: Black Mask, Two-Face, Mr Freeze, King Tut, Catwoman (Kate Beckinsale), Poison Ivy (Dina Meyer)
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SPIN-OFF TV MOVIE: GRAYSON
Follows Dick to Bludhaven where he goes to find himself.
starring THOMAS DEKKER as Dick Grayson. Could possibly include characters from the Batman/DC mythos not included in the main series, and set things up for the future.
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SEASON FIVE
Batman & Batgirl continue on their own, without Dick, before Bruce comes across an orphan trying to steal from the Batmobile. He feels sorry for him and takes him in, just like Dick. The Joker, having being incarcerated for over a year, escapes with the help of his new girlfriend, Harley Quinn. He goes on a rampage, shooting Barbara Gordon and murdering Jason Todd (in one dramatic episode combining 'The Killing Joke' ad 'A Death in the Family'. Literally BANG! BANG! Huge cliffhanger).
GUEST VILLAINS: Black Mask; Joker (Paul Bettany); Harley Quinn (Amanda Sigfried); The Riddler (David Tennant); Catwoman (Kate Beckinsale); The Ventriloquist
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SEASON SIX
More broken than ever, Bruce has hung up the cape and cowl, and has decided to leave crimefighting behind. It takes Barbara in her hospital bed to persuade him to go back as Gotham needs it’s hero. Barbara sets herself up with an advanced computer system and becomes Oracle, aiding Batman on his mission.
RECURRING: Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Thomas Dekker)
GUEST VILLAINS: Two-Face, Mr Freeze, King Tut, Poison Ivy (Dina Meyer), Harley Quinn (Amanda Sigfried)
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SEASON SEVEN
With Batman now being aided by Oracle, he is stronger than ever. His relationship with Dick Grayson is almost mended, but he makes it clear he wishes to stay independent; however a new enemy arises with a mysterious identity.
RECURRING: Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Thomas Dekker); Robin III/Tim Drake
GUEST VILLAINS: Hush; Joker (Paul Bettany); Harley Quinn (Amanda Sigfried); Two-Face (in rehab?); The Penguin (Bob Hoskins); The Riddler (David Tennant) & Catwoman (Kate Beckinsale)
What do people think?