Gotham TV Series Is Coming To Netflix

In a surprising deal, Netflix has announced an agreement with Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution to bring Gotham to their subscription video on demand service. The deal is surprising because not a single episode of Gotham has aired yet, which means Netflix must be extremely confident in the show.

Gotham will be made available in each of the territories in which Netflix currently operates and select other territories. Each season of the series will be available to Netflix members following linear broadcast beginning in 2015.

Premiering on September 22 on Fox in the United States, the series draws on the origin story of Batman, taking place in Gotham City as young Detective (and future Commissioner) James Gordon and the recently orphaned Bruce Wayne meet in the troubled days before the arrival of the Dark Knight. With a stellar cast including Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C.), Donal Logue (Sons of Anarchy, Vikings, Terriers), Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix Reloaded, Ali, Collateral, HawthoRNe) and Sean Pertwee (The Musketeers, Elementary, Luther, The Tudors), the series follows Gordon’s rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner as he navigates the layers of corruption that secretly rule Gotham City.

The action-packed series draws on the stories of the great DC Comics “Super-Villains and Vigilantes,” revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. The one-hour drama follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the genesis of one of the most popular superheroes of our time.

“Gotham is the most anticipated new series of the fall season and we are thrilled to offer it to our members around the world,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix. “The Batman origin story is sure to have massive global appeal so it is fitting that, along with Warner Television, we have created a new model for distributing a show that international and domestic audiences will love.”

“In this era of new business models and expanding windows, this is an unprecedented deal for our company and our industry,” said Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. “While we typically license our programming country by country, we have licensed this very special series to Netflix on a multi-territory basis. Netflix is a perfect home for Gotham following its initial broadcast in each respective country, giving Netflix subscribers the opportunity to catch-up prior to the new season, whether they’re already fans or discovering it for the first time.”