Fox’s Batman prequel series Gotham won’t only be an origin story for future GCPD commissioner Jim Gordon, but will explore the origins of the Dark Knight’s extensive rogues gallery. In the pilot alone, we’ll be introduced to the Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. We’ve also heard that the showrunners have plans to introduce Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker at some point as well.
Bringing the Clown Prince of Crime to the small screen before he becomes the iconic psychopath we all know and love is a risky proposition, and one it seems the writers of the series are not taking lightly. We’ve heard from executive producer Bruno Heller that we should keep our eyes peeled for the Joker, and that he may be subtly introduced over time. Now, according to Bleeding Cool, we have a clearer picture of what that slow-introduction will entail.
Not only is there a very deliberate plan at play, but the producers are already toying with us. They know how much anticipation a character like this brings and will bank on that by introducing a possible Joker each and every week.
We’ve seen that already with the casting of Jon Beavers as a stand-up comedian in Fish Mooney’s nightclub. After Beaver was cast, the internet went wild with speculation that he may be the future Joker… which was exactly what the producers wanted.
Every episode will introduce us to a new character who may or may not be the Joker someday. Each person will be played by an unknown actor and have an emphasis on one of Joker’s iconic attributes, so we’ll see characters like “a card shark, a flower seller, a clown, or just a guy with a very big grin.”
This is definitely a risky move, but one that I’m actually kind of excited about. I would personally rather never see the Joker on Gotham, considering he’s created as a direct response to Batman. The Joker without Batman is something I’m not interested in seeing at all, but this approach may just work. Sure, it will be tough getting teased each and every week, but I suspect the debate and speculation that will spring up around each Joker possibility will be fun to dissect after the episodes are over. This way, the impending presence of Batman’s nemesis will be felt in the show, but the Clown Prince of Crime will remain in the background for diehard fans to watch out for.
What do you think of this idea? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to tune in for Gotham when it premieres this fall on Fox on Monday, September 22nd at 8 p.m.