Gotham City's violent delights may have violent ends.
The Hollywood Reporter has word that actor Jeffrey Wright is in negotiations for the role of Commissioner James Gordon in Matt Reeves' upcoming Warner Bros. film The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson.
The Batman is said to be a noir-driven Batman movie, rumored to be based on the popular 13-issue limited series Batman: The Long Halloween, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale.
Wright, 53, is best known as Bernard Lowe on the HBO series Westworld, and as Felix Leiter in the James Bond films Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and No Time to Die. His other films include The Hunger Games movies, The Goldfinch, W., The Invasion, Lady in the Water, Ali, and Shaft (2000). His other television appearances include episodes of Boardwalk Empire, The Venture Bros., House, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and Homicide: Life on the Street.
Created in 1939 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Commissioner Gordon first appeared in Detective Comics (vol.1) #27, which also featured the first appearance of Batman. Gordon was introduced as the Police Commissioner of Gotham City, who shares Batman's deep commitment to ridding the city of crime. Although often skeptical of Batman's vigilante methods, Gordon believes that Gotham needs him.
In the 1987 story "Batman: Year One," writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzuccheli revealed that Gordon transferred back to Gotham City after spending more than fifteen years in Chicago. A man of integrity, Gordon discovered that Batman was his only ally against the mob-controlled administration. He was a special forces veteran capable in hand-to-hand combat and retaliated against an intimidation attempt by corrupt fellow officers with equal violence. Gordon ended up having an extramarital affair with a fellow detective, Sarah Essen, but he broke off their affair after being blackmailed by the corrupt Police Commissioner, Gillian B. Loeb. Mob boss Carmine Falcone sent his nephew, Johnny Viti, to abduct Gordon's family. Batman saved them, however, and helped Gordon expose Loeb's corruption. After Loeb resigned, Gordon was promoted to Captain.
As the years passed, Gordon quickly rose to the rank of Commissioner after he and Batman weeded out corruption within the department. After the death of his brother and sister-in-law, he adopted his niece, Barbara. Gordon divorced his wife Barbara, who returned to Chicago with their son James, while he retained custody of Barbara, who eventually became Batgirl. Gordon soon deduced his daughter was Batgirl, but would not confront her about it again, until years later.
If cast, Wright will be the sixth actor to portray James Gordon in live action, after Neil Hamilton on the '60s television series Batman, Pat Hingle in the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films, Gary Oldman in the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight film trilogy, Ben McKenzie on the Fox TV series Gotham, and J.K. Simmons in the film Justice League.
The Batman is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 25, 2021.