Director Matt Reeves’The Batmanis currently set to be followed by an untitled police procedural drama television series for HBO Max. Now, the Gotham PD-focused series has tappedThe Ritualwriter Joe Barton to serve as the new showrunner.
The Batmanspin-off began development in July 2020 withBoardwalk Empirecreator Terence Winter on board as co-writer and showrunner. However,Winter stepped down from his rolelast year on account of his vision for the series no longer aligning with the plans of Reeves, who serves as co-writer and executive producer on the project, and other producers.
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Varietyhas learned Barton will now takeover Winter’s role as both showrunner and executive producer onThe Batmanspin-off. In addition to penning the screenplay for director David Bruckner’shorror filmThe Ritual, Barton previously created and wrote BBC Two and Netflix’s drama seriesGiri/Haji.Forthcoming projects from Barton include Amazon Studios’Invasionstarring Riz Ahmed and Octavia Spencer, which he co-wrote with Michael Pearce, and a Netflix drama series based on theHalf Badbooks by authorSally Green, on which he will serve as a writer and executive producer. WithThe Batmanspin-off, Barton joins Reeves' on a team of executive producers that includes Daniel Pipski, Adam Kassan, and Dylan Clark.
Reeves’The Batmanstars Robert Pattinsonas a young Caped Crusader and explores the second year of the DC hero’s career as a masked crime fighter. As the vigilante reckons with the depth of Gotham City’s corruption, he also comes into conflict with a serial killer known as The Riddler. Set during Batman’s first year operating as a vigilante, the HBO Max spin-off will further examine the extent and the history of Gotham City’s corruption from the perspective of a crooked GCPD officer. WarnerMedia intends for the series to be one aspect of its larger plan to launch a Batman universe across multiple platforms.
The latest reboot of theBatmanfilm franchise isn’t the only upcoming DC feature to receive an HBO Max spin-off. James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad will pave the way fora series centered on Peacemaker, a newcomer to the DC Extended Universe portrayed by John Cena, who will reprise his role and also serves as a co-executive producer.
Guiding DC’s plans for Warner Bros. is Walter Hamada, who recently signed a multi-year deal to continue serving asDC Films presidentthrough 2023. In December, Hamada outlined plans to expand the DCEU by potentially producing HBO Max spin-off films and television shows for every DC film.
The Batmanis currently scheduled to be released in theaters on August 02, 2025.
