Summary
- The DCU Arkham Asylum TV show has been canceled.
- The show would have been part of the main DC Universe, despite initially appearing to be spinoff of The Batman.
- The series was expected to have a horror movie-like feel that establishes Arkham Asylum as a character itself.
The DCU Arkham Asylum TV show project has been perhaps one of the most unusual and exciting of the franchise's releases, making its fate a complicated matter. In DC lore, Arkham Asylum is the institution where most of Batman's enemies are locked up and can be seen in most of the movies, and it's the main location in the hugely influential video game, Batman: Arkham Asylum.
The Arkham Asylum series was publically in the works since 2023, and despite many details being as-of-yet unrevealed or outright not conceived of yet in lieu of more closely impending releases like DCU releases.
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Arkham Asylum TV Show Is No Longer Moving Forward
Arkham Aslyum was first confirmed in March 2023 (via Arkham Asylum was a part of the main DCU timeline.
Unfortunately, the next major news about the series after this point was news that the show had been canceled, as in July 2024 Variety reported that the installment was not to be continuing forward. Given the time spent working on the Arkham Asylum series, this news has been met with some sadness, especially as the concept of a show focusing on the Dark Knight's rogues gallery is a promising one, which had been proven to have potential based on previous shows like Gotham.
Interestingly, the report did also state that there was a chance for a new project based around Arkham Asylum to take place in the future, meaning a not dissimilar release could take place as part of the DCU further down the line. As such, a different version of Arkham Asylum could well crop up at some stage later on, even if this iteration of the DCU show has been canceled.
Arkham Asylum TV Show Release Info
Arkham Asylum never received a confirmed release date, meaning that even if it had gone forward, it could have been some time before it saw the light of day. When Arkham Asylum was believed to be part of The Batman universe, it was thought that it would potentially come out before The Batman: Part II's release in October 2025 - but since the reveal that the show is part of the DC Universe, this concept no longer appears to hold weight.
Arkham Asylum TV Show Cast
A series based in and around Arkham Asylum opens up tons of possibilities of villains in Batman's Rogues Gallery showing up. This seemingly follows a pattern when it comes to the DC Universe's impending release slate, as the Paradise Lost series is similarly based around Themyscira and thus Wonder Woman's lore, without necessarily including the hero herself in a lead role.
As such, while the DCU Batman may have made an appearance in the plans for the show - especially if this could build hype for The Brave And The Bold - the focus of the Arkham Asylum cast was sure to be on the villains in question. Not only would this have allowed the franchise to set up a huge number of prospective villains for its future, but it also could have let the series lean into the kind of plot and tone that made DCU co-CEO James Gunn's The Suicide Squad a hit - and indeed would have been a perfect place to confirm whether Margot Robbie is still Harley Quinn.
Arkham Asylum TV Show Story Details
Arkham Asylum was canceled before many story details were revealed - and indeed, the show being moved from The Batman's world to the DCU makes getting a handle on its plot even more nebulous. However, it seems likely the series would have still followed the outline that Reeves detailed prior.
When discussing the show, the director explained that the series would feel like a horror movie in a haunted house, which is exactly how a show based on Arkham Asylum should feel. The filmmaker stated, "it’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham. The idea, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character."
With the DC Universe focusing on a version of the universe that has had heroes in it for some time, Arkham Asylum would have been a prime point to establish many details about its Batman without having to explicitly state them. Similarly, the show had the opportunity to establish what this iteration of Gotham will be like, and what the overall tone of the vital DC city and its inhabitants' lives are like. As such, it's a shame Arkham Asylum won't be going forward, as it presented a lot of promise for the DCU.
Arkham Asylum is a psychological thriller series exploring the dark and twisted corridors of Gotham City's infamous psychiatric hospital. The show delves into the lives of both the inmates and the staff, unearthing the complex psychologies and chilling legacies of some of Batman's most notorious adversaries. The series offers an in-depth look at the institution's eerie atmosphere and the moral ambiguities faced by those within its walls.
- Showrunner
- Antonio Campos
- Creator(s)
- Antonio Campos, Matt Reeves
