FOX has officially ordered the pilot episode of the Batman prequel series "Gotham".
Entertainment Weekly reported Monday that the announcement came one week before the network will officially unveil its full fall lineup, making "Gotham" the first official series pickup of the FOX's new season.
The series, written and produced by "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller, will delve into the early career of future Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon, played by Ben McKenzie.
FOX also released a two-minute trailer for the show during the premiere of the limited series "24: Live Another Day". The video shows the murder of young Bruce Wayne's parents in a back alley after a theater performance, followed by a promise by Detective Gordon that justice will be delivered - unfortunately for Gordon, the city is as dark and dangerous as ever.
"This is not one of the things where you bought a franchise and then none of characters people know," Kevin Reilly, FOX Entertainment President said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "We will follow Bruce Wayne right up until the point where he gets interesting... It's Gotham teetering on the edge. This is all of the classic Batman characters."
Other cast members include Donal Logue as Gordon's partner and mentor, police detective Harvey Bullock and the young Bruce Wayne played by David Mazouz. The show will include untold tales of DC Comics villains including a young Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), and Poison Ivy (Clara Foley). The series also introduces a new character, Fish Mooney, played by Jada Pinkett Smith.
"I'm super excited about Gotham," Logue recently told E! News of his casting. "It's an exciting thing; it's going to be here in New York. It's one of those funny things where they're super secretive, so you have to go to a secret place to read a script and give away your phone."
Logue added: "He might be pretty morally reprehensible too. Harvey Bullock, he definitely has walked on both sides. Harvey's a detective the way that right now, Rollins is a detective. There's a morally ambiguous world that he runs in."
Warner Bros. Television is producing the program and it was reported that FOX ordered "at least" 13 episodes of the new series. The pilot of the series was directed and executive produced by Danny Cannon, known for his work on "CSI". John Stephens will also serve as executive producer of the show.
A premiere date for the show is yet to be announced, but "Gotham" is planned to air during the 2014-15 season.
