It’s official: Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Southland) has been cast as a young Jim Gordon for Fox’s upcoming television series Gotham. His name should sound familiar to Bat-fans because he actually voiced Batman in 2011’s animated film, Batman: Year One. The show’s characterization of Gordon is described as the following:
Gotham‘s Gordon is a rookie detective for Gotham City Open Police Department’s Homicide Squad. 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.
Fox has not only committed to a pilot, but a series as well. Gotham‘s pilot will be directed and executive produced by Danny Cannon (CSI, Nikita). Bruno Heller (The Mentalist) will also serve as executive producer of the pilot in addition to writing it.
Gotham has been described as a Smallville of sorts, only for Batman. In addition to showcasing a young Jim Gordon, Bruce Wayne’s journey to becoming Batman will be chronicled from the point of his parents’ murders up to the time that he dons cape and cowl. You can also expect to see the origins of villains like Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman.
Below are some Tweets posted by Ben McKenzie; one about taking on the responsibility of playing Gordon and a response to getting approval from Arrow’s Stephen Amell.
All I can promise is I will do my best not to screw this up. Can’t wait to get to work.
— Ben McKenzie (@ben_mckenzie) February 8, 2014
Thanks man! “@amellywood: Pretty fired up for @ben_mckenzie. Hop into the DC Universe my friend. The water is warm.”
— Ben McKenzie (@ben_mckenzie) February 9, 2014
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
