Matt ReevesThe Batmanis set to kick off a new Batverse, as two direct sequels and two other spin-off series for HBO MAX were in early development. But it now appears that one of those series will not be coming to fruition, as Reeves has confirmed that the GCPD spin-off has been “put on hold.”
Reeves’The Batmanfocuses on the caped crusader during his second year of fighting crime, and the film looks to create its own universe that expands on the abundance ofBatmanlore and remains separate fromother DC live-action universes such as the DCEU. Other than the planned film trilogy, one spin-off series will focus more on Colin Farrell’s Penguin and the other was going to depict the GCPD before the events ofThe Batman.
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Chatting with Josh Horowitz on hisHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, Reeves spoke much of his process ofcreatingThe Batmanwhile also touching on what he had in store for future projects, one being the spin-off series focusing on the GCPD. Unfortunately, however, Reeves confirmed that the GCPD spin-off series will not be going through. “One thing that we’re not doing that I was gonna do… So, there’s the Gotham police show, which, that one actually is put on hold. We’re not really doing that,” Reeves shared.
The drama series, which was originally set to be written byBoardwalk Empire’s andThe Wolf of Wall Street’s Terence Winter before he departed due to creative differences, was going to serve as a prequel toThe Batman.“The series was going to be kind of like ‘Prince of the City,’ where it was going to be year one because the movie is year two, and I wanted it to be the first appearance," Reeves explained. “But it wasn’t going to be a Batman story. It was going about about this corrupt cop, and it was going to be about how the worst gang in Gotham were the GCPD. And [Bruce] would have touched paths with Gordon. It would have been someone to measure him against, but it would be a battle for his soul.”
It’s unfortunate to see a series like this not follow through, especially with a talent like Reeves on board and after seeing James Gunn find success expanding the DC universe with his ownThe Suicide Squadspin-off projects withPeacemaker. However, ifThe Batman’s box office successis any indication, Warner Bros. and Reeves will surely cook up something else exciting to go along with the upcoming Penguin series.
As for that Penguin series, which was an idea Reeves had very early on in production and one that HBO Max thought highly of, the story will be inspired byclassic gangster films such asThe GodfatherandScarface, as it will see the rise of the crime boss as he seeks to achieve mythic status. With so many characters and storylines scattered throughout the Batman universe, Reeves knew that he wouldn’t just be finished after one story withThe Batman, as the director is excited to explore many side characters in greater depth with these new projects.
The Batmanis now playing in theaters and arrives on HBO Max on June 07, 2025.
