Yet another Batman-related project is on its way and this time it’s a teen superhero series called Gotham Knights! Despite appearing on the CW, Gotham Knights isn’t related to CW’s Arrowverse, nor is it related to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. It also has nothing to do with the upcoming Warner Bros. video game that has the exact same name. Instead, this is a new standalone series that takes place in its own universe. The series is expected to release sometime in 2023 and just began filming last month.
Gotham Knights is set to take place after Bruce Wayne (a.k.a. Batman) has been killed. Without his protection, Gotham City descends into chaos and heightened crime. When Wayne’s adopted son, Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), is framed for a murder he didn’t commit, he finds unlikely allies in the children of some of Batman’s enemies. Together, they must clear themselves of the false charges and become the new saviors of Gotham.
This series definitely has an interesting premise, with its post-Batman time period and focus on the next generation of heroes. There will also be a fun mix of familiar Batman characters, lesser-known characters, and even some wholly original ones. Here is every character confirmed for the CW’s Gotham Knights.
Turner Hayes
Oscar Morgan heads the series as Hayes, Batman’s adopted son. In many different comic book arcs, Wayne was a father, both biologically and through adoption. He fathered children with both Selina Kyle and Talia al Ghul, as well as adopted Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, and Cassandra Cain. However, Hayes was not one of his children in the comics, making him an original character. Given that Batman had other children, it is interesting that CW chose to create a new one to lead the series. Still, it is highly likely they will draw elements from some of Batman’s other kids to incorporate into Hayes.
There is, however, a character named William Hayes in the DC comics. He’s a supervillain who goes by the alias Harm. It isn’t likely that Turner is related to Hayes, but it’s worth mentioning. After all, Hayes was also adopted as a child, so there’s a minor connection there. Ultimately, it remains to be seen how Turner will take shape in Gotham Knights.
Harvey Dent
Misha Collins has been tapped to play one of Batman’s most iconic villains—Harvey Dent (a.k.a. Two-Face). Gotham Knights seems to be featuring Dent before the accident that turned him into the supervillain Two-Face. According to the Gotham Knights synopsis, Dent is still a bright and justice-oriented district attorney of Gotham City. As an attorney, he is after the teenagers who have been framed and are now fugitives. Proving their innocence will be more difficult with the hard-charging Dent on their case.
It remains to be seen if Dent’s accident will take place within Gotham Knights. It seems likely considering that Gotham City is in a state of chaos. If not, it will still be interesting to see the lawyer side of him before he turned into a supervillain. We’re also definitely excited that Collins, best known for appearing on Supernatural, is going to portray this villain.
Harper and Cullen Row
Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara have been cast as siblings Harper Row and Cullen Row, respectively. The Gotham Knights synopsis described Harper as a street-smart teen and talented engineer, while her brother, Cullen, is a smart transgender teen tired of putting up with other people. In the comics, Harper was an ally of Batman who went by the alias Blue Bird. Harper and Cullen had a pretty difficult life, with a deceased mother and an alcoholic father. As teens they set off on their own, with Harper supporting Cullen with her engineering career.
Harper is exceedingly close to her brother, even once shaving her head to match him after he had his hair cut by bullies. In another instance, when bullies attacked them, they were saved by Batman. Harper would repay the favor by becoming an ally to Batman and debuting her own vigilante identity, Blue Bird. I love that this strong, independent sibling duo will be making their live-action debut in Gotham Knights.
Duela Dent
Olivia Rose Keegan has been cast as Duela Dent, also known as the Joker’s Daughter. Gotham Knights describes Dent as being unpredictable, unreliable, and a little unhinged after she was born in Arkham Asylum and abandoned by her father. In the comics, Dent claimed to be the daughter of a number of Gotham’s villains including Joker, Scarecrow, Penguin, and Riddler. Based on her name, one might assume she is Two-Face’s daughter. In reality, she is the daughter of Elevyn Dent (a.k.a. Three-Face) and Jokester. So, technically, she is the daughter of a Joker, just not the mainstream Joker.
It remains to be seen which comic book arc Gotham Knights will utilize for Dent. She has previously made her live-action debut in Batwoman and was portrayed by Alessandra Torresani. This series drew largely from The New 52, which rebooted DC’s continuity. In this version, Dent was a woman who lived in the sewers and found the Joker’s face after he died. She became obsessed with both serving and attempting to resurrect the Joker. Whether we’ll get this more villainous version of her in Gotham Knights, or the version that joined Teen Titans remains to be seen.
Carrie Kelley
Navia Robinson will be portraying Carrie Kelley in Gotham Knights. As the show describes, Kelly is the sidekick of Batman. In the comics, she was the first female to don the Robin alias and loyally served as Batman’s second-in-command for quite some time. It began when she was 13-years-old and Batman saved her from a gang of Mutants. Afterward, she buys herself a Robin costume and sets out to be Batman’s ally. After saving him, he allows her to become his new Robin officially. At one point, Kelly also donned the Catwoman alias, though still served as Batman’s sidekick.
It will be intriguing to find out what Kelley’s backstory is in Gotham Knights. In the comics, she and Batman had almost a father-daughter bond, due to Kelley’s own parents being neglectful. Hence, her storyline in Gotham Knights may be pretty emotional considering Batman is now deceased. And what will her relationship be like with Hayes, his adopted son?
Stephanie Brown
Anna Lore will be portraying Stephanie Brown in Gotham Knights. In the series, she is Hayes’ best friend and boasts coding skills. In the comics, Brown is the daughter of the criminal Cluemaster, but is not a villain herself. Instead, she dons the superhero alias the Spoiler, and frequently attempts to spoil her father’s plans. After saving Batman, she serves as both Robin and Batgirl for a time. Brown is also the love interest of Tim Drake, who also served as a Robin.
It is interesting that Gotham Knights chose to include both Brown and Kelley. This means there will be two women on the team who temporarily served as second-in-command to Batman, and who also both saved Batman. Interestingly, while Kelley is outlined in the synopsis as being Batman’s sidekick, Brown is not. Thus, we’re not really sure if Brown will be Batman’s partner in this story, too, or if she’s instead just a close friend of the Batman family.
Brody
Rahart Adams has been tapped to portray a mysterious character only known as Brody. While it seems he may be an original character, Brody could very well be an alias. In the comics, Knute Brody was a secret identity used by multiple Batman characters, including Dick Grayson and Tim Drake. Gotham Knights describes him as smart and charismatic, but these characteristics also make him entitled and jealous. Hopefully, we’ll have more information on who Brody is soon.
(featured image: CW)
Published: May 20, 2022 01:34 pm