The Batman series focused on Arkham Asylum has reportedly been cancelled by HBO.
Initially pitched as a continuation of Matt Reeves’ The Batman film, the show was originally set to focus on the corrupt police force of Gotham City before it was retooled.
In 2022, Antonio Campos signed up as showrunner while Reeves told fans that the series had evolved to focus on the world of Arkham Asylum, the place that holds Batman’s rogue’s gallery after they’ve been bested by the caped crusader.
Reeves went on to describe it as a follow-up to 2022’s The Batman and hinted that it could give origin stories to a lot of Gotham City villains. “It’s almost leaning into the idea of [the] horror movie or haunted house that is Arkham,” he added.
After it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran would be taking over the DC universe and rebooting a majority of it, Gunn confirmed the series was still in development. However, he said the series would now be set in the main DC universe, rather than the separate DC Elseworlds universe that Robert Pattinson’s Batman inhabits.
However, a new report from Variety says that HBO and Max will no longer be moving forward with the Arkham Asylum show. However, a different take on the idea could be developed further down the line, said an individual with knowledge of the situation.
A spin-off from The Batman that focuses on Colin Farrell’s Penguin is due to air this September on Max, while The Batman – Part 2 is now due to premiere in 2026 after being delayed from 2025. HBO recently green lit a Green Lantern TV show.
It’s not been a good time for Arkham Asylum fans. After developing the beloved Arkham Asylum series of video of games, Rocksteady Studios’ Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was met with negative reviews, with Warner Bros. admitting that the title had not met their expectations.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the next Batman: Arkham game would be a VR exclusive while the founders Rocksteady Studios formed a new development studio named Hundred Star Games.