The Arkham Asylum TV series, which was set to expand on DC’s Batman universe, is reportedly no longer happening at Max.
Variety says the show will no longer be moving forward at the streamer. Antonio Campos had signed on as showrunner back in October 2022, but his version of the story will now no longer continue. The site’s sources add that a story set within Gotham’s twisted asylum could still come to fruition in the future.
The Arkham Asylum series was announced in 2020 and originally had nothing to do with the iconic Batman location. Instead, the show was sold as a story centered on the Gotham City Police Department that was set before the events of The Batman. One year (and one showrunner) later and the show was said to feature James Gordon, but director Matt Reeves then stated in 2022 that the GCPD show would focus on Arkham Asylum.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn eventually clarified that the Arkham Asylum series was separate from the world of The Batman and would take place within the company’s new universe, the DCU. It’s a rocky road that has led to a dead end at least for now.
While Arkham Asylum is getting locked away, there are plenty of other Batman and DC stories on the way. The Penguin will bring Colin Ferrell’s crime boss to small screens sometime this September, and The Batman – Part II is still slated to arrive October 2, 2026. There’s also the DCU-set Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which will see The Flash’s Andy Muschietti directing a new take on the character.
For more, you can check out our list of every other DC movie and show in development.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
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