Coverage by RCR entertainment reporter, Eric Szymanski, follow him on Twitter at @ecmanski
On Monday, February 5th, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment premiered the highly anticipated next entry into the DC Universe, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight.
Fans gathered at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills for a screening of the film followed by a Q and A from cast members and producers. The evening did not disappoint those lucky enough to attend.
The animated film, based on the graphic novel, was truly an entertaining and fascinating take on the Batman universe. Set in a Victorian Age alternative Gotham City, the movie tells the story of Batman battling one the most infamous villains ever to walk the streets at night, Jack the Ripper. Think of a cross-universe with two iconic pop culture figures going head to head and that’s what the film delivers. I was amused throughout with the clever Easter eggs the producers sprinkled in referencing characters from the Batman lore we’ve all come to know. One, in particular, was taken directly from Tim Burton’s 1989 live action classic and had this Batman nerd smiling from cheek to cheek like I just inhaled the Joker’s smilex gas. Gotham by Gaslight earned an R rating so it’s targeted more towards the Deadpool and Logan crowd though not nearly as gritty and violent as those.
After the credits rolled, we were joined by the cast and writers for a discussion on what we just saw. All but one cast member stated it’s more fun to voice a villain than it is a hero in the DC universe. Bruce Greenwood, the voice of the Cape Crusader himself, was the only one who jokingly said he preferred to play the hero. When asked if there would be a sequel, producers said they’d be open to telling another story set in this era of Gotham. Perhaps the next one could involve a certain clown prince of crime we all know and love. The evening concluded with questions taken from the audience with one lucky fan taking home a poster of Gotham by Gaslight autographed by the entire cast.
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is now available on Blu Ray and Digital download.
More about Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
Gotham City, at the turn of the century, is experiencing a golden era of discovery and industry as showcased by affluent businessman Bruce Wayne’s World Fair. Down in the darkest alleys, there is a killer on the loose. Preying on the city’s women, this killer is as precise as he is cruel. As Police Commissioner James Gordon tries to calm the fears of Gotham’s citizens over the butcher named Jack the Ripper, the masked vigilante Batman does some detective work of his own, with the help of the sultry and surefooted Selina Kyle. Witness a world in flames as the killer’s controlled savagery meets the calculated stealth of the Dark Knight!
Get it online at Amazon.
