Summary
After a rocky four-year development with various creative changes, Max’sArkham Asylumspinoff show is officially dead. Initially envisioned as a show set within the Gotham City Police Department, the title was meant to be connected to the universe of Matt Reeves’The Batman, with Reeves teasing a horror-driven approach and appearances by iconic villains Scarecrow, Clayface and Professor Pyg, among others. The show was also one of multiple planned follow-ups to Reeves' 2022 hit,alongsideThe Batman — Part IIand Max’sThe Penguin.
Varietyhas now brought word that Max is no longer moving forward with theArkham Asylumshow, four years after initially granting it a series order. Sources report that the version of the show that has been cancelled is that of Antonio Campos', which was tied to Matt Reeves’The Batman, but that it could still move forward in a new capacity closer connected to James Gunn’s DC Universe. The news comes seven months after Gunn affirmed that development on the show was still in the works.
The news thatArkham Asylumis no longer moving forwardat Max may not come as much of a surprise to those who have been following its troubled development cycle. When it was first in the works as a GCPD show,The Sopranosalum Terence Winter was set to write and showrun the title, though left due to creative differences, subsequently being replaced by Joe Barton, who was the last aboard before HBO shelved the show over similar concerns. While Gunn and Reeves have remained hopeful about bringing it forward, it seems the writing may have always been on the wall.
That being said,Arkham Asylum’s cancellation isn’t all bad news for Reeves and his relationship with DC moving forward.The Colin Farrell-ledPenguinspinoff showis finally gearing up to release on Max in September 2024 following delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, and will also serve as a bridge between the first and second movies in Reeves' franchise.The Batman — Part IIdid recently see its release date delayed by a full year, though production is scheduled to kick off in April 2025.
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Given Reeves has expressed a desire to build out a wholeBatmantrilogy and Gunn has shown a willingness for Elseworlds storieswhile he builds out the DCU,Arkham Asylum’s cancellation is only a minor speedbump in the former’s future. Even Gunn’s direct DCU plans have promised a more standalone approach to each installment rather than rushing any kind of major connections as the now-defunct DC Extended Universe did, which would pair nicely with Reeves' steady worldbuilding approach toThe Batmanand leave the door open for future expansions.
Source:Variety
Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum is a psychological thriller series exploring the dark and twisted corridors of Gotham City’s infamous psychiatric hospital. The show delves into the lives of both the inmates and the staff, unearthing the complex psychologies and chilling legacies of some of Batman’s most notorious adversaries. The series offers an in-depth look at the institution’s eerie atmosphere and the moral ambiguities faced by those within its walls.
The Batman
The Batman follows a young Bruce Wayne as he investigates a sadistic serial killer targeting key political figures in Gotham. As he delves deeper, he is confronted by the city’s hidden corruption and questions surrounding his own family’s legacy.
