Asia’s WarnerTV swoops for Gotham

Buzzy Batman origin story drama Gotham will be “fast-tracked” into Asia after pay channel WarnerTV acquired rights to the show.

The series is set to launch on Fox in the US this fall before heading to Asian screens soon after, though the exact window was undisclosed.

Turner Broadcasting System-operated WarnerTV scored its deal with Time Warner stablemate Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

Warner Bros. Television-produced Gotham tells the origin stories of Batman heroes and villains, with Ben McKenzie playing a young James Gordon, who goes on to become Gotham City commissioner in the DC Comics franchise.

It was arguably the most-talked-about show at the LA Screenings in May, and this understood to have lead to fierce negotiations and bidding wars in many territories.

“This drama series is exactly the kind of compelling content that makes WarnerTV so popular, and showcases the high-production values and great storytelling that we’ve come to expect from the world’s number one television and movie studio,” said Turner International Asia Pacific’s VP of general entertainment networks Marianne Lee. “We know that audiences in Asia will love it, and we’re really pleased to be offering Gotham so soon after it airs in the US.”

The series has already been acquired in Canada, where it will run on CTV, and Australia, where Nine Network has the rights.