Reminding us, as if we needed it, that Batman spin-off Gotham is heading to TV this autumn courtesy of Fox, here's a brief new trailer showcasing three of the series' principal villains. Specifically that means Camren Bicondova as Selena "Catwoman" Kyle (likely more of an anti-heroine); Robin Taylor as Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot; and Jada Pinkett-Smith as crime boss Fish Mooney.
Missing from that roster, perhaps indicating less significant screen time for the time being, are Clare Foley as "Poison" Ivy Pepper (not Pamela Isley?) and Cory Michael Smyth as a certain Mr E. Nygma.
But the biggest riddle remains the business of The Joker, of whom there is still no sign. We're told he'll appear as a comedian in Mooney's club, but scouring the above clip still fails to turn him up. It seems unlikely that he's one of the faces-in-shadow standing guard behind Pinkett at 0:17, and the cadaverous guy lounging behind her at 0:32 is Taylor. But who's she laughing at?
Here's a head-spinner for you: are they hiding The Joker in plain sight? Is it Mooney? Are we being sneakily shown the big three villains here after all? Now that would be a radical way to escape the shadow of Heath Ledger... And it would explain why one of the show's top antagonists doesn't come from the comics at all...
Wild speculation aside, the Before-Batman crime drama stars Ben McKenzie as the early-career Jim Gordon, with support from Donal Logue, David Mazouz as the young Bruce Wayne, and Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth. Danny Cannon (CSI, Judge Dredd) is the director of the pilot, but there's no air date so far other than "fall".