We’ll just come out and say it: the following report stinks like so much bullshit that we have to hold our noses while typing. Nonetheless, there might be a kernel of truth to the notion, and if not, it’s certainly a stepping stone for some interesting discussions in the comments section, right? Nonetheless, it’s our duty to inform you that the famously dubious Comicbookmovie.com is claiming that Warner Bros.’ post-“The Dark Knight Rises” plans for the Batman franchise involve him coming to television.
The report mentions that the studio, with no plans to step on Christopher Nolan‘s shoes, wants to use the films as a stepping-stone for the show, which will have a “real world” feel. Karl Urban is the name linked to the Caped Crusader, an appropriately TV-ish name now, but not by next year when his starring role in “Dredd” is seen by fans. The executive in charge of this show has had his name withheld from the announcement, though apparently he’s been involved with “The Mentalist,” “Friends,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Without A Trace,” “ER” and “The West Wing.” So “The Dark Knight: The Series” will be a needlessly gory procedural with wacky sidekick characters. We could easily look up the one guy associated with all these projects and “out” him, but that would involve assuming there’s some truth to this story.
What really sets the bullshit meter off is that the series would also benefit from a new actor taking on the role of the Joker. Somehow, keeping him out of the movies is respectful, but switching mediums preserves the sanctity of Heath Ledger‘s memory? The piece mentions the oddly specific note of a “closed set” being used to re-introduce the Joker, the kind of fake detail that could never be the result of a show being developed now for a likely 2013 debut.
As far as a “Batman” television series in the vein of the movies goes, there’s nothing to say it couldn’t work. And “Smallville” is currently in its tenth season of Superman heroics, providing the CW with a boatload of revenue over the years. There was a rumor that Bruce Wayne would cameo in the earlier seasons of “Smallville” as a backdoor pilot for a young Batman series, but most fans point to the eerily-similar Adam Knight played by Ian Somerhalder in season three as the possible prototype for that failed concept. Oh, and speaking of failed concepts: “Smallville.”
