No Hope For The Batman In The Arrowverse

 

Though joking dialogue confirms there are Batmen on the Arrowverse’s Earth-1 and Earth-38, don’t expect to see the cape and cowl on The CW anytime soon.
As TVLine reports, CW president Mark Pedowitz told reporters at the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Monday that while the jokes on Arrow and Supergirl both establish the existence of Batman, “there are no plans at this time to have Batman appear.” The clarification was important as Batman’s home town, Gotham City, will be a major setting in this year’s Arrowverse crossover and the potential Batwoman television series spinning out of that storyline.
In the comics, the character — named Kathy Kane — was inspired by Batman’s nighttime antics and sudden disappearance at the beginning of the 52 weekly comic book series and takes on the mantle as Batwoman, but quickly found her crimefighting came with a side order of the supernatural and unresolved issues with former girlfriend Rene Montoya. In her subsequent solo series, she gained her own supporting cast, continued to fight monsters with a special link to her past, and found love with Gotham City Police Captain Maggie Sawyer.
Considering the modern Batwoman appeared while Batman was gone, the same idea could be used to explain away his extended absence from the series, should The CW pick it up. In fact, the description of the series seems to back up this ideas as it states “in a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.” Why would Gotham be desperate unless Batman is gone?
In our reality, Batman’s ability to appear on television is complicated by Warner Bros. Pictures’ stranglehold on the character and, oddly enough, 20th Century Fox’s claim to the character in live action television thanks to the Batman ’66 series. When National Periodicals — DC Comics’ business name in the 1960s — signed the deal with Fox, it was forever with no out clause. This is partly why Gotham is on Fox. It is unclear how the deal will go forward now that Disney is in the process of buying Fox and, by extension, the TV rights to Batman. Maybe they will barter for some asset Warner Bros. owns to clear this strange contractual hurdle.
In the meantime, Kate — who has not be cast yet — will get a chance to establish herself as Gotham’s premiere rodent-based vigilante. It may prove to be a good thing.
The Arrowverse resumes in October.