Skip to main content

The latest trailer for Gotham is loaded with nods to Batman’s history

Television series’ based on comic book properties were all the rage at 2014’s Comic-Con, with attendees heaping praise upon the previews they saw for shows like Gotham, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.The Flash, and Arrow. The latest trailer for Gotham, which was screened during the convention, arrived online this week and made it quite clear why it was the subject of so much buzz over the weekend.

Not only is it a great trailer, but it’s packed with nods to the greater universe of Batman and his villains — and more importantly, why everything is so inextricably connected to the city of Gotham.

Recommended Videos

From the opening scene depicting the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents to a brief mention of Arkham Asylum, to a final, chilling scene featuring Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Taylor) that hints at his sinister future, the new trailer offers up all sorts of Easter Eggs for Batman fans while also providing a compelling reason why Gotham is one of the new shows everyone should keep an eye on this fall.

Starring Ben McKenzie as Detective James Gordon, Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth, Robin Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot, Donal Logue as Det. Harvey Bullock, Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, and Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle. Gotham premieres September 22 on Fox.

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
The Batman: What the future holds for Gotham City
The Batman overlooking Gotham, per Warner Bros. Pictures

Note: Spoilers for The Batman are discussed in this article.

A gritty journey consisting of wading through Gotham City's corrupt underbelly, a nerve-wracking killing spree to stop, and a deep level of introspection were what was in store for the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves' The Batman. Robert Pattinson's gloomy Batman had been operating in this grimy, perpetually crime-plagued urban jungle for two years, but wasn't having the resuscitating effect on Gotham's weak pulse as he'd hoped. After losing his parents to organized crime, Batman fixated on beating it into submission, only for the Riddler to forcibly show the city how deep the rot runs. In the wake of the Riddler's flash flooding of Gotham, which effectively turning it into a "no man's land," how does Gotham grow from this?

Read more
Keanu Reeves is Batman in DC League of Super-Pets trailer
Ace and Batman in DC League of Super-Pets.

This weekend, movie theaters belonged to The Batman as Robert Pattinson stepped into the title role to make it his own. However, he's not the only Batman in the multiverse, or even the only Batman that will make his debut this year. Ahead of the film, Warner Bros. Pictures premiered a new trailer for the kid-friendly stand-alone animated film DC League of Super-Pets. And in this footage, the Dark Knight was voiced by none other than Keanu Reeves.

Reeves is best known for his leading roles in The Matrix and John Wick films. He might be a little too old to pull off a live-action Batman, but in animation, Reeves gets to embrace the two sides of the Caped Crusader. He's the grim avenger of the night, as well as a softer hero with a heart who can't resist the charms of his new pet, Ace the Bat-Hound.

Read more
The Batman trailer spotlights vengeful Dark Knight, teases ominous villains
Robert Pattinson in The Batman.

Nearly 15 years ago, comic book fans scoffed when Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight ...  until Ledger's performance blew them away and earned a posthumous Oscar. Robert Pattinson was also met with mockery when he was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman by director Matt Reeves. The Batman's new trailer may put some of those jokes to rest. So far, Pattinson's take on Batman is angry, vengeful, and even frightening. And that's just what we wanted to see!

THE BATMAN – Main Trailer

Read more