Over the years, Batman has been played by a number of actors including Michael Keaton, Christan Bale, Ben Affleck, and now Robert Pattinson. As heavily discussed and debated as these actors are as to who does the role best, David Mazouz's portrayal of Bruce Wayne in Gotham deserves its props.
The Batman origin series began in 2014 and ran for five seasons before its final episode in 2019. Gotham differs from previous adaptations by showing the development of Bruce Wayne (Mazouz) as he becomes Batman. Unlike other adaptations that merely feature Bruce as Batman, Gotham shows exactly how he came into the role. In addition to Bruce, Gotham shows how other infamous Batman associates rose to their prestigious roles.
RELATED: Jeffrey Wright Teases 'Badass' The Batman Acting From Robert Pattinson
Gotham is largely led by Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he takes his place as a detective in Gotham City. Along the way, he makes both enemies and allies that make his position in Gotham difficult to handle. Because of Gordon's involvement, a series of Batman villains and anti-heroes are introduced via their mundane aliases. The ordinary start for many of these characters provides Gotham the opportunity for some to have a compelling backstory that may have been glossed over in a film adaptation. Gotham's developmental tactic works well in a television series format because it gave showrunners a chance to expand upon the stories of iconic DC characters that wouldn't have gotten explored in a full-length film.
Many Batman adaptations mention the deaths of Martha and Thomas Wayne or at the most, offer a short flashback to their gruesome deaths. Gotham shows the robbery and killings in real-time, following the development of their son in his grief. With Gordon responding to the call, he and Bruce forge a relationship that translates well into not only Gotham's storylines, but the ones many Batman films have personified. In Bruce's willingness to learn more about the city his parents cared so much about, Bruce begins to see an entirely new side of Gotham. These revelations lead him to come across some complex characters like Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) who later becomes Catwoman. The development of their unorthodox friendship takes flight over the course of Gotham's five seasons, establishing plenty of complicated history between the two.
What Gotham is perhaps most often praised for is its development of countless DC villains. In the span of its five seasons, Gotham is able to introduce The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), Poison Ivy, The Joker (Cameron Monaghan), Solomon Grundy (Drew Powell), Carmine Falcone, Luigi Maroni, and many others. The DC series doesn't stop there and introduces some original characters created by Gotham's showrunners, including Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith). When combined with the development of heroes like Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, and Jim Gordon, the complexities of what Gotham is capable of comes to light. The grim atmosphere of the city has the potential to create some of the brightest heroes or some of the darkest villains.
This long-term series form of storytelling works well for the development of the characters that DC has made familiar through its films and comics. With this take on the evolution of these characters, they become more powerful. Rather than having one or two monologues that chronicle their journey to villainhood, they are able to simply do those things (both purposefully and for some, accidentally). Gotham doesn't attempt to be grim or overly serious and dangerous but uses some of these classic Batman conceptions as undertones for the series. With these strategies, Gotham doesn't shy away from using subtle instances of comedy and quirkiness to exemplify certain characteristics of some DC stars.
Details of Pattinson's The Batman have largely been kept under wraps, but through the teasers that have been released, it's clear that Pattinson's version of the hero will be unlike any Batman adaptation that has come before it. Each performer brings something new to a role, no matter how long it has existed or who has played it before. Placing other large names with him, including Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard, and Barry Keoghan, The Batman has the potential to showcase a new side to all these characters that other adaptations (including Gotham) weren't able to.
The Dark Knight is often praised as one of (if not) the best Batman adaptations ever made. Both Christian Bale and Heath Ledger's iconic performances have been discussed at length since its premiere in 2008. Gotham does not take away from this adaptation nor any other but adds a layer to the Batman franchise that so many of these films were missing. This is not to say that all Batman films (or any superhero film) need to have these critical origin stories, but when the same story has been told so many times, telling it in a new way can be difficult. Gotham succeeds in this and helps make Batman and all his surrounding characters more interesting.