DC’s Latest Hit Series Reveals What We Missed with the Canceled ‘Batman’ Spinoff

As James Gunn focuses on establishing his DCU from the ground up, Matt Reeves is concurrently developing his own cinematic universe centered around Batman. Titled The Batman Epic Crime Saga, this universe takes a more grounded approach to the Caped Crusader and his world.

The saga began with the release of The Batman: Part I, featuring Robert Pattinson in the lead role, and a sequel is already in development, slated for a 2026 release.

In addition to the films, several spinoff shows were planned, including The Penguin, which is currently airing and has become a massive hit, particularly with its fourth episode titled “Cent’Anni.”

This episode delves into Sofia Falcone’s (Cristin Milioti) backstory. Throughout the series, she was portrayed as being held in Arkham Asylum for being The Hangman, a psychopathic serial killer. However, “Cent’Anni” reveals that she was framed by her own family when she began to uncover that her father had actually murdered her mother and staged it as a hanging suicide.

Carmine Falcone killed several young women, and because many of them died in a similar manner, it becomes clear that he is the true Hangman all along.

Sofia spent a decade in Arkham, which the show depicts as a horrific environment filled with abusive staff and inmates, alongside regular drug use. This experience ultimately breaks Sofia, transforming her into a remorseless psychopathic killer.

Additionally, the episode provides a glimpse of what the planned Arkham Asylum spinoff could have looked like had it not been canceled just months before The Penguin premiered. Reeves’ vision for it has been nothing short of impressive.

Originally intended to be part of Matt Reeves’ universe, the Arkham Asylum series was set to be written and showrun by Antonio Campos. However, his version will not proceed, although there is potential for a new project focused on Gotham’s notorious asylum that may be more closely aligned with Gunn’s DCU.

The show’s development has been tumultuous. It was first announced in July 2020, originally focusing on Gotham PD under Terrence Winter, who left due to creative differences. Joe Barton subsequently took over but was also ultimately dropped.

Reeves later revealed that the Gotham PD concept had evolved into the Arkham Asylum idea, envisioned as a “horror movie” set in the asylum. After the leadership change at DC Studios with James Gunn and Peter Safran, it was clarified that the series was intended to be part of the new DCU rather than Reeves’ universe.

Despite the cancellation of this show, Reeves mentioned a few weeks ago that other spinoffs are still in development.

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