The Batman prequel series Gotham was picked up by Fox today, receiving an order of at least thirteen episodes for the 2014-15 television season. Starring Ben McKenzie as DC Comics character Detective James Gordon, the drama explores Gotham City following the murder of young Bruce Wayne's parents and various characters who eventually become Batman's most dangerous enemies.
And during the airing of tonight's premiere of 24: Live Another Day, the first trailer for Gotham made its debut, giving us our first good look at the new series. Entertainment Weekly posted a 45-second teaser trailer, but here's the full two-minute extended trailer thanks to the official Fox account on YouTube...
"I love this city," an older man says to Gordon, "and I can see it going to hell. Sometimes I think this place is cursed. I won't let it fall apart without a fight."
"There's a war coming," a bloodied, disheveled Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) tells Gordon. "A terrible war. There will be chaos...rivers of blood in the streets, I know it."
We also see fleeting images of Gotham supporting characters, such as Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue). "You have a little danger in your eye," Mooney says to Gordon. "I wonder what you plan to do with that."
A brief exchange between Gordon and his new partner Bullock follows. "You kill people before?" asks Bullock. "That was war," replies Gordon. "This is war! We're at war!" counters Bullock.
We then see the defining moment of young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) watching his parents murdered in Crime Alley by a masked criminal, who may or may not be Joe Chill. Gordon introduces himself to young Bruce, huddled under a police blanket that shrouds him like a cape. "I promise you," vows Gordon. "I will find the man who did this."
"I'm learning to conquer fear," Bruce says to Gordon as we witness his parents' funeral service. "Fear doesn't need conquering," Gordon responds. "Fear tells you where the edge is."
As we see Bruce coming dangerously close to the edge on the roof of stately Wayne Manor, Gordon continues trying to reassure Bruce. "However dark and scary the world might be right now, there will be light."
Finally, we receive glimpses of some of the future Batman villains, including The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), Catwoman (Camren Bicondova),The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), and even a young Poison Ivy.
Gotham will premiere on Fox sometime this fall.