As Matt Reeves' The Batman continues to deliver the box office, Warner Bros. is looking for other ways to explore the Batman brand and the world of Gotham City. In addition to the upcoming HBO Max film Batgirl, Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton's Batmen in The Flash, and a spin-off series based on The Batman's Penguin, Warner Bros. has also announced The CW's next television series - Gotham Knights.
Based on the video game of the same name and written by Batwoman writers Natalie Abrams, James Stoteraux, and Chad Fiveash, Gotham Knights takes place in the fallout of Bruce Wayne's murder, where his adopted son teams up with the children of Batman's foes in light of being framed for the Caped Crusader's death.
In the series, the newly formed team will have to navigate a now-vulnerable Gotham City, where they become their own brand of heroes known as the Gotham Knights.
On the heels of news that Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara have been cast as Gotham Knights characters Harper and Cullen Row, a new report has offered additional casting news for the series, including that of a female version of Robin.
Gotham Knights Has Cast Its Female Robin
Variety reported that Oliva Rose Keegan, Navia Robinson, and Oscar Morgan for The CW pilot of Gotham Knights.
Keegan is set to play the unpredictable Duela, a character who was born in Arkham Asylum and was abandoned by her father. That father in the comics is the Joker and the most dangerous man in Gotham.
The actress was previously known for her work in Days of our Lives and Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical.
Oscar Morgan has been cast as Bruce Wayne's adopted son, Turner Hayes, who, despite being uncomfortable with the Wayne family wealth, is committed to living up to his father's name.
In addition to his role in Gotham Knights, Morgan has also been cast for the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced WWII drama, Master of the Air.
Lastly, Raven's Home actress Navia Robinson has been cast as the plucky and idealistic Carrie Kelley, or the female version of Batman's iconic sidekick Robin.
While Carrie Kelley has a presence in the comics and has appeared in animated form, her live-action appearances have been limited at best.
For instance, in the Ultimate Edition home release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a red-haired woman with goggles did fight alongside Batman during the "Knightmare" sequence; and according to director Zack Snyder, she would've been Carrie Kelley if that alternate DC reality had been allowed to continue.
Will Too Many Batmen Prevent Future Carrie Kelleys?
The premise of Gotham Knights is sure to intrigue fans of the various DC series on The CW. On top of that, the fact that Carrie Kelley is finally being fully realized in live-action is significant and may pave the way for future iterations of her character in DC-based HBO Max shows and potentially theatrical films.
The question, however, is whether fans will be eager for more Batman and his associates in the years to come, especially considering how much Batman-related content Warner Bros. has coming down the pipeline.
Another concern is whether audiences will become confused due to so many stand-alone DC projects with their own respective versions of well-known heroes. After all, Gotham Knights will introduce yet another version of the Caped Crusader to an already crowded field of Batmen.
In fact, Gotham Knights is a stand-alone project itself. Not only is it intended to be separate from the video game which served as its inspiration, but also the Batwoman series, despite having been written and produced by the Batwoman team.
Whether this will prove to be problematic and if the studio has plans for future Carrie Kelleys remains to be seen. However, DC fans will be tuned in for more information about Gotham Knights and its release on The CW.
