The Batman spin-off about the GCPD has shifted to focus on Arkham, Matt Reeves has revealed.
The HBO Max TV show was originally set to deal with corruption in the GCPD, and would have been a prequel set in Batman's first year as a crime fighter (the film, meanwhile, takes place during Bruce Wayne's second year of vigilantism).
"The GCDP thing, that story has kind of evolved," Reeves told The Cyber Nerds. "We've actually now moving more into the realm of exactly what would happen in the world of Arkham as it relates coming off of our movie, and some of the characters, again in their origins that you would – almost leaning into the idea of – it's like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham."
He continued: "The idea of, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character, so that you go into this environment and encounter these characters in a way that feels really fresh. And so in our work on Gotham, that story started to evolve, and it started feeling, 'Wait, we should really lean into this.' And that's kind of where that's gone."
Arkham – traditionally called Arkham Asylum, but under the name Arkham State Hospital in The Batman – is where the Caped Crusader's colorful rogues gallery usually end up at the end of their schemes, and has housed villains like the Joker, Riddler, Two-Face and more in other Batman media.
Further details on the project are scarce, but it's not the only TV show in development that's connected to The Batman. Also in the works is a spin-off about Colin Farrell's Penguin and his rise through Gotham's underworld.
"We're doing one with Colin [Farrell, as Oswald Cobblepot], seeing Oz rise to power, almost like a Scarface story," The Batman producer Dylan Clark told our sister publication SFX Magazine in the latest issue. "It's exciting to do something like that just as a standalone, but it speaks to the character and our movie, so that you'll go back to the movie [and say], 'Oh, I see that backstory there, that line refers to this.'"
The Batman is in theaters now. If you're all caught up, check out our ultimate collection of guides to the movie right here:
- The best Batman movies, ranked!
- The Batman Easter eggs and references
- The Batman ending explained
- The Batman secret message you missed
- Was Joaquin Phoenix's Joker meant to be in The Batman?
- When is The Batman on HBO Max?
- How to watch the DC movies in order
- All the new superhero movies flying your way
