It was recently announced that Fox would follow the Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., superhero-adjacent model by developing Gotham, a series that would similarly delve into the world of Batman without Batman getting in the way, allowing viewers to concentrate on the ordinary policemen who are so often robbed of screen time by a brilliant, enigmatic billionaire detective dressed as a bat. But now a new casting notice over at Coming Soon suggests producers are having second thoughts about doing a Batman show entirely without Batman, as they’ve begun holding auditions for the role of Bruce Wayne after all.
However, theirs is a Bruce Wayne who’s only 10 years old, and thereby unlikely to do any of the expensive, franchise-muddying Batman things that might also prove distracting to getting to know a rookie James Gordon. Instead, the young Master Wayne will just sort of be moping around while Gordon investigates his parents’ murder, then continue on in a series regular role that will have Gordon—and the audience—watching him grow up into the man and bat-man he’s meant to be. Maybe Bruce Wayne will be the city’s silent guardian someday. But for now, he’s just an adorable 10-year-old boy who says precocious things, in the sort of character development that so deepened our appreciation of other black-clad badasses like Darth Vader.