Fox’s upcoming show Gotham has found its James Gordon. The role has gone to Ben McKenzie. The thirty-five year-old actor has previously had roles in TNT’s Southland, and Fox’s The O.C.
McKenzie will play Gordon who is described as a rookie detective for the Gotham PD’s Homicide Unit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s described as a “A college football star,?and a war hero, Gordon was fast-tracked through the GCPD?ranks. He’s brave, energetic and honest. Driven to live up to the classical virtues of a father he barely knew, he’s an idealistic soul, to the point of naiveté. That virtue is tempered by analytical intelligence and an ambitious alpha male ego — he’ll back up his naive ideals with action.”
Speaking last month at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly stated that the series will also explore other characters in Batman’s world.
“This is not one of the things where you bought a franchise and then none of characters people know,” Reilly said. “We will follow Bruce Wayne right up until the point where he gets interesting.”
Reilly also confirmed that Gotham will be as much of an origin story for both Gordon as well as Batman. “It’s Gotham teetering on the edge,” he said. “This is all of the classic Batman characters.”
So fans can expect to see characters such as the young Bruce Wayne who will be in his pre-teen or teen years, Alfred, as well as Wayne’s future rogue gallery such as the Joker, the Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman in the series. Apparently the plan is to end the series with Bruce putting on the cape and cowl and becoming the Dark Knight, similiar to what was done with Superman in the CW’s Smallville.
After the session, Reilly told reporters that the series will be very serialized and not a companion show like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “This is the Batman franchise just backing it up,” he said. “It gives a real focus as to what this show is about and what stories we’re telling.”
Aside from portraying a cop on Southland, McKenzie has also voiced the cape crusader in the 2011 DC’s animated film Batman: Year One. I think he’ll be a great James Gordon and I’m looking forward to watching this show. What about you my fellow geeks?
