Despite Fox’s recent struggles over the last few years, the network has seen tremendous growth with new shows such as Empire and Brooklyn 99. However, one which has caught the attention of many is Gotham, and the Batman prequel might have just gotten better.
When the series began it was reported that iconic Batman villain, The Joker, would be teased throughout the first season. Although, aside from one scene in the show’s first episode, we have yet to see any revelations. What’s the reason behind this? showrunner Bruno Heller explained the situation to TV Guide.
“We’ve said your going to be waiting a bit longer for it, but this is America nobody wants to wait.”
What Heller is trying to state is the anticipation has grown too much for the writers to ignore, and the Joker will be brought to life on-screen sooner than expected.
Just don’t expect the Joker to become a main character yet, because the folks at Fox still want to leave some surprises for future seasons of the show, as Heller went on to explain
“So, we will scratch the surface of that story, yes. But just scratch it–a little tap on the door.”
While we might not get a full-fledged Joker story during season one, a recent casting has led to much speculation over who might be playing The Clown Prince of Crime.
Milo Ventimiglia, whom many know from his role on the mildly successful NBC drama Heroes, was recently cast for a role on Gotham. Ventimiglia will portray an original character “the Ogre”, (This incarnation is not associated with the DC Comics character of the same name.) whom was described as the following
“a killer who has been preying on the young women of Gotham for nearly a decade, luring them into his web and confronting them with a series of “tests” as he searches for his perfect mate. When the women fail to live up to his impossible standard, Lennon disposes of them quickly and viciously.”
While there is no mention of the Joker in any description, the casting of Ventimiglia so close to the announcement of the Joker’s possible season one cliffhanger is just too much of a coincidence.
Is it possible the character later develops into Batman’s most iconic villain? As the press release pointed out, this is an original villain created exclusively for Gotham. While the show has remained relatively close to the comics, there have been some new twists and turns along the way.
So, maybe “the Ogre” isn’t what we think he is. Maybe, just maybe, he becomes something else, or someone else.