Fox Gives Us Our First Look at “Gotham” – the Batman Prequel

Gotham – a live action Batman series is finally coming to television – except without Batman. Sort of. If you ever wanted to know just how dark and twisted up the bad guys (and so very few good guys) in Bruce Wayne’s life were before the Batman started smacking them around, here’s your chance.

From the look of this extended trailer, Fox is pushing for an almost basic cable vibe, but with big 4 network accessibility. And instead of surprising us with a look at Batman’s future rogues gallery by dropping one into an episode weeks or months or seasons down the line, they show us a bunch of the bigger ones right away in the trailer: Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and, of course, Batman, all sans-capes and tights and umbrellas and such (although preteen Catwoman apparently already has her goggles and burglary bodysuit).

For a full run-down on the cast and creators behind this new series coming next fall, here’s the official write up from Warner Bros and Fox:

Based upon characters published by DC Entertainment and produced by Warner Bros. Television, GOTHAM is an origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. Starring Ben McKenzie (“Southland,” “The O.C.”), Donal Logue (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Terriers,” “Vikings,” “Copper”) and Jada Pinkett Smith (“The Matrix” films, “HawthoRNe”), GOTHAM follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time. Executive producer Bruno Heller (“The Mentalist”) wrote the pilot, which was directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Danny Cannon (the “CSI” franchise, “Nikita”). John Stephens will serve as an executive producer on the series.

Watch for Gotham coming this fall on Fox.

Image: Warner Bros