The CW's Gotham Knights Casts a Surprising Batman Villain
Next year, The CW's take on the DC universe is set to expand even further, with the midseason debut of Gotham Knights. The live-action series will be taking a unique approach to the mythos of Gotham City and the Batman family, helping audiences become acquainted with characters like Stephanie Brown, Duela Dent, and Carrie Kelley. On Tuesday, the latest casting report surrounding Gotham Knights was revealed — and it has an even more specific connection to Batman's lore. According to new reports, Damon Dayoub (Stitchers, Chicago Fire) and Lauren Stamile (Complications, Grey's Anatomy) have been cast in the series in heavily recurring roles. Dayoub and Stamile will be portraying Lincoln and Rebecca March, the parents of Brody March (Rahart Adams).
Dayoub's Lincoln March is described as a charismatic, self-made industrialist with designs on becoming Gotham's next mayor, the only thing more important to Lincoln than his legacy is the power he wields as one of the city's elite. Old-money elegant, Stamile's Rebecca plays the dutiful "Good Wife" to her business mogul husband. A caring and supportive mother, one would never know she's trapped in an unhappy marriage.
"We are absolutely thrilled to add Lauren and Damon to our already stellar cast," showrunners/executive producers Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux and co-executive producer Natalie Abrams said in a statement. "It's very fitting for their characters in particular to join our world of Gotham. And while fans of the comics may recognize Lincoln's name, they should expect some twists in the stories to come."
Who is DC's Lincoln March?
Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in 2011's Batman #1, Lincoln March plays an incredibly specific role in the now-iconic Court of Owls storyline. A candidate for mayor of Gotham City, March becomes a close friend of Bruce Wayne before faking his death at the hands of the Court's Talons. As Bruce later learns, "Lincoln March" is actually an alias, and the man is a member of the Talons who suspects that he is Thomas Wayne Jr. — Bruce's younger brother. Lincoln returned again during the events of Batman Eternal and the "Robin War" storyline, but the true nature of his parentage was never confirmed.
Given the fact that Bruce is dead at the very beginning of Gotham Knights, the idea of bringing the March family into the series' fold could potentially complicate things even further. If the comment from the showrunners is any indication, then the live-action version of March might have a more complex backstory than just being Bruce's potential long-lost brother.
What is Gotham Knights about?
In Gotham Knights, in the wake of Bruce Wayne's murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman's enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city's most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight to clear their names. But in a Gotham with no Dark Knight to protect it, the city descends into the most dangerous it's ever been. However, hope comes from the most unexpected places as this team of mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors. The series will also star Oscar Morgan as Turner Hayes, Anna Lore as Stephanie Brown, Olivia Rose Keegan as Duela Dent, Navia Robinson as Carrie Kelley, Fallon Smythe as Harper Row, and Tyler DiChiara as Cullen Row.
Gotham Knights will be produced by Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions, as is the case with the other DC series on The CW. Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux, and Natalie Abrams are writing the script while Fiveash and Stoteraux will executive produce with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden of Berlanti Productions. Abrams will serve as a co-executive producer. Fiveash and Stoteraux currently serve as executive producers on Batwoman and have credits on Gotham, Krypton, and The Vampire Diaries. Abrams has written for Batwoman, Supergirl, and All American on The CW.
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Gotham Knights will premiere in 2023 exclusively on The CW.
h/t: Deadline