When it was first announced that Gotham City and Batwoman would be introduced in the Arrow-verse's "Elseworlds" crossover, many wondered if Batman would appear in some way. Marc Guggenheim recently confirmed that won't be happening in this crossover, and now we're learning why the caped crusader is absent. Caroline Dries, who consulted on "Elseworlds" as the executive producer of the upcoming Batwoman series, revealed the Dark Knight has been missing from Gotham's action for quite some time.
Our approach is: What does Gotham look like after the Batman has been gone for three years? So if you have the law and order, protector, and hope gone, what happens as a result? Some people are thriving in his absence because now they can start to do their own thing without the oversight. A lot of other people are suffering and they're losing hope, and the city itself and infrastructure is falling apart. So it's not a happy place. Our guys walk into a grimy, scary Gotham.
That's right, Gotham City has been without its savior Batman for three years. Of course, they've still got Batwoman to help stop the constant chaos that creeps up around town, but the lack of the Bat-family's head honcho has resulted in Gotham City's quality of life taking an immense nosedive. Let's be honest, things aren't that great when Batman is working, so this Gotham may be a real armpit.
Marc Guggenheim confirmed as much, telling EW he told Stephen Amell Gotham City basically isn't a city. Guggenheim even compared the town to another city in the Arrow-verse, with the difference being it's much, much worse.
It's a dead city. The way I sort of described it to Stephen is, it's there but for the grace of God goes Star City. It's the worst case scenario. The reason no one talks about Gotham is the city might as well be dead. It's practically a ghost town.
The "Elseworlds" crew was willing to admit Batman is missing ahead of the crossover, but did not mention the status of Bruce Wayne. The character has been mentioned in Arrow-verse shows over the years, which could mean he's still kicking around Gotham City even if his alter ego is in deep hibernation. That said, The CW's president Mark Pedowitz stated months ago that Batman has not been discussed or planned for the Batwoman series, so having him in town as Wayne during "Elseworlds" could be a bit weird.
As far as what the Arrow-verse world at large thinks of Batman, it was also revealed that those outside Gotham City question his very existence. Batman will be discussed by Kara, Barry, and Oliver at some point during "Elseworlds," and each hero will take a different stance on the caped crusader. Barry has a strong desire to meet him, while Oliver is concerned about another vigilante hero. Could this be a tease to a future confrontation between Oliver and Bruce in a future crossover?
The "Elseworlds" crossover kicks off on The CW Sunday, December 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET with a special episode of The Flash. For more on other things coming to television around that time and beyond, visit our fall and midseason premiere guides.
