Gotham: The Legend Reborn (2014) - full transcript

Listen, kid.
You seem like a nice guy,

but this is not a city...
or a job for nice guys.

"Gotham's" a show very much
about...

the origin stories
of some of the great super villains

of the DC mythology.

So you see...
a young Catwoman,

you see a young Poison Ivy,

a young Penguin, Riddler...,

possibly the Joker.

You see...

all of these legendary characters,



but you're seeing them
at a point in their lives

which has not really been
explored before.

Part of this fun is that

we don't just want
to regurgitate a comic book.

We need to elevate it.

We need to make it
something it's never been before

while still staying true
to the DNA.

We really pays due homage

to everything anyone knows

about Gotham in the past...,

and gets crazier and crazier.

GOTHAM - THE LEGEND REBORN

The idea for this show came

from trying to find a fresh way
into the DC mythology,



and it seemed like...

the perfect place to start
was the city of Gotham.

What the show looks at is:
why... a town like that

will eventually need a vigilante...
to help them?

What makes a town so crazy,

what makes a town
so out of control...

that villains begin
to wear costumes?

The basic premise of the series
is a "what if?", really,

it's what if... James Gordon...
was the rookie detective

that investigated the death
of... Bruce Wayne's parents?

And once you make that connection
between those two iconic characters...,

the story kind of rolls on
from there.

So you meet this young detective
who is out

to... uncover corruption
and do the right thing...

in a city that doesn't necessarily
want you to do the right thing

- or need you to do the right thing.
- When we start the series,

James is... more or less
straight out of the military...,

has not been in Gotham
in... a decade or more;

he left when he was a kid.

He's a little bit
of a fish out of water.

He doesn't exactly know
what's going on in Gotham...,

and he's figuring it out...
moment to moment.

Where are my pills?!

Hold your fire!
I got this!

He'll make mistakes.

he'll trust the wrong people,
follow his heart,

and at times that will lead him...
into... dangerous situations.

As an actor, that's
a very... relatable... place to start.

Ben McKenzie is perfect
for the role of Gordon

because he has a kind
of natural integrity and strength,

an old-fashioned... set of values

that really shines
through his performance.

Sir..., look at me.

Not at them, look at me.

My name's Jim.
Jim Gordon.

This is one of the iconic... figures
in... comic-book law enforcement.

It's daunting... to play him,
to be honest with you.

It's a little bit scary...,
and yet it's thrilling.

In this telling
of the Gotham story,

James Gordon is partnered
with Harvey Bullock.

Harvey Bullock's
a detective in the comics.

He's never been realized
in live action,

and Donal Logue is the first person
to ever play him,

and he's absolutely perfect
for the role.

The hell are you doing?!
We had the drop on him!

Yeah, well, he's dropped,
isn't he?

You could've gotten hurt;
rookie mistake.

Somebody takes a cop's gun,
you shoot him.

That's basic.

He's been around Gotham
for just years and years and years,

and so..., in order to survive...
in this city,

he's had to... kind of develop
his own brand of morality.

- Hey!
- Huh?

How you doing?

James' relationship
with Harvey Bullock is... very complex.

Harvey's been whittled down
to expect... very little... of the city.

The case is closed.
Forget about it.

Even if the real killers
are still out there?

Yes.

This... is very perilous stuff
you're messing with.

He's introducing... Gordon
to Gotham,

and Gotham is... nothing like...
Gordon's ever seen before.

When I started work
on the show

and started digging
into the origin stories

of these... great villains,
one of the things I realized was...

there really is not a lot known
about the early history.

We've never really seen
where the Penguin comes from,

or why he does what he does,
or the Riddler.

Or even Catwoman.

Who were the super villains in this city
and how did they become that way?

Maybe they were just like
me and you.

Why on earth would that real person
turn into this crazy psychopath?

These quintessential characters
that we've all grown up with...,

you finally get to see
and understand

how they ended up
where they ended up.

Anyone ever tell you... when you walk
you look just like a penguin?

No.
Nobody's ever told me that.

I love origin stories.

I love origin stories.

Being able to see how...
these wonderful characters,

that we've all grown up with..., started...
is so interesting and so much fun.

Boy?!

- Sorry.
- If you let this hair go frizzy,

you will be.

The great thing about Jada Pinkett's
character, Fish Mooney, is that...

it's created completely for this show.
It's a brand-new character.

Fish Mooney is... an up-and-comer
in the... criminal world... of Gotham...,

and she has... a mind
to... take over Gotham...,

so we'll see how that goes.

There used to be some discipline.

Falcone is getting old and soft.

It's time.

Somebody has to take over;
it might as well be me.

She has a kind of... ferocity
that's natural to her...,

a sharpness and an intelligence

and a... way of... looking at people
that is both seductive and devouring.

You don't get a lot of opportunity...
to... have a playground for your shadow.

That... is what makes this character
so fun.

- Harvey.
- Fish.

Jada Pinkett Smith is creating
a brand-new character

in this beautifully nuanced
and complicated and...

sexy and dark way.

- Who's the friend?
- Detective James Gordon, ma'am.

Hmm.
Well, aren't you a cool glass of milk?

The first time
that Fish meets... James Gordon,

she knows right away
he's a problem.

And so there's this... very interesting...
tension between the two of them.

You have a little danger in your eye.
I wonder what you plan to do with that.

- You'll have to wait and see.
- I hate surprises.

From episode to episode,
we'll be introducing characters

that... are sort of legends
in this universe,

so you really have to tune
in each week

to watch...
who's gonna show up next.

We might meet a character
who... who we think

is the nicest character in the world,
and they turn out to be

the worst villain in all of Gotham City...,
or vice versa.

You know, we might meet
somebody that's completely corrupted,

and by the end of this...,
they're one of the most heroic people.

You can never tell in Gotham;
it changes people.

The acting was fine,
the music was lovely.

- I agree with Dad. It was kinda lame.
- There's no such word as "kinda".

- It was totally lame.
- Yeah!

Now, you two are so judgment...

Give me your money!

Stay calm, Bruce.

I think... one of the things
that's interesting about "Gotham"

is you're taking the same scene
that you've seen before

that starts off the movies...,
with the murder of the Waynes...,

but instead of jumping forward
to when Bruce is... now a man,

and he takes on the cape and the mask,
instead, you stay in the present.

It begins with the murder
of Bruce Wayne's parents,

finding these bodies... in an alley,
and then saying: "Where do we go

from here?" The ramifications
are deep and wide.

It's interesting to watch a young Bruce
and a young Jim Gordon

connect so early on.
It's something

we've never really seen before,
and that will be explored in "Gotham".

I promise you..., I will find
the man who did this.

He's also making a promise to himself:
"I will navigate my way through this,

and I will do it honorably
and with dignity."

I think audiences...
always seem to gravitate

towards characters
with incredible integrity.

One of the most interesting things...
about... James Gordon

is really in his relationship
with Bruce Wayne.

The cool thing about the show
is that it's all the psychology

that goes on behind Bruce Wayne's mind
to become this awesome character,

to become this vigilante
that fights crime for Gotham.

Why were you up on the roof?

I'm learning to conquer fear.

Fear doesn't need conquering.

Fear tells you where the edge is.
Fear is a good thing.

And you think
I haven't told him that, do you?

Bruce Wayne's relationship
with Alfred is very unique.

Even though... Alfred is
his subordinate,

he has to... help guide him
into manhood carefully...,

because he does work for him,

and-and not only that,
but he has such respect for him.

It's really a story of a young boy...
willing himself...

to become a superhero.
How does he do that?

He's not really sure
why he's doing that,

but he is compelled to do it.

I'm going to find out
who killed your parents, and why.

I'm glad he's still alive.

I want to see him again.

When we begin the series,
Gotham City is struggling,

it's in the midst of a crime wave,
it's battling corruption...

The Waynes were very important people
in Gotham City,

so their death creates a power vacuum
that is filled by various people

with rather less philanthropic notions
of how to run Gotham.

With the murder of the Waynes,
they were like the mama-papa bear

that kept everything together,
and now Gotham is in danger

of falling into this abyss
of pure chaotic anarchy.

Citizens of Gotham...,
we will not..., we cannot...

let these killers and these robbers
and these rapists and these thugs

win.
Not on my watch.

There's a lot of tension
throughout Gotham.

Y-You've got tension between
the Falcone family and the Maronis;

you got tension between
Fish Mooney and the cops;

you've got tension between
the Major Crimes Unit

and the Homicide Division
in... the Gotham PD.

Well, well, well, if it isn't Montoya
and Allen..., Major Crimes Unit.

- Any leads?
- Just getting started.

I'll be straight.
You want us to take it off your hands?

Come on, Bullock, you know
you're scared of this case.

There's tension
kind of all across... the city

and between every character
that's involved.

Gotham is on a knife edge.

What do you suppose
bringing down... city hall

and the police force will do,
even if you could?

The Falcone crime family...
runs the city.

They have relationships
with everyone,

from law enforcement
to... the judicial branch,

to the mayor's office
and all the way down.

It's a world in which
everyone is on the take,

and the only man who can
kind of... break that... downward spiral

is the last good man in Gotham,
James Gordon.

Made a promise to Bruce Wayne,
and I can't deliver.

But you will.

Maybe I'm out of my depth.

Hey.

I very much doubt...
you're out of your depth.

James and Barbara
have a natural,

sort of emotional
and... sexual chemistry.

Seemingly..., everything
is going... very, very well.

She's a beautiful woman...
with a lot of means.

Her father is very wealthy.

He's one of the members
of Gotham high society.

But... Barbara's hiding things
from James,

including secrets about her past.

James Gordon is not a good guy.
You deserve better.

James Gordon is the most honest man
I've ever met.

- You sure you know what he's capable of?
- Yes, thank you, I know him.

Does he know you?
Like I know you?

Their relationship gets
compromised very quickly

when... Renee Montoya
accuses James of being corrupt

and creates a rift
in their relationship

that will only widen
as the series goes forward.

B, I know when you're lying.

Gotham... is a corrupt place.

It's a place
where you can't trust anyone.

You can't trust the mayor,
you can't trust the police force.

Gotham... law enforcement

is pretty much under the thumb
of the underworld right now,

which is basically run
by Falcone... at this point in time.

That might change;
I'm working hard at it.

There is a split in the underworld

between the... Maroni family
and the Falcone family...,

so... a character like Penguin,
for instance,

is able to come in and play
both sides against each other.

Why snitch on your own boss?

I confess that...

that poor orphan boy
pricked my conscience.

I've done my civic duty.

Good day to you both.

Oswald starts off
as... a grunt for... Fish Mooney,

and... when Bruce Wayne's parents
are murdered...,

he sees that... as an opportunity
to make his move,

to finally become... someone
of power and of status.

He's learned to play... good people
off of bad people off of good people.

It's fascinating.

It was Gilzean.
He's the snitch.

No.
Gilzean... is loyal.

So am I.

I would open a vein right here and now
if you asked me to.

Go on then.

Open one.

I think Robin Lord Taylor's
portrayal of Penguin

is... going to be... a real
revelation to people,

because what he's doing
is not just playing

sort of
a villainous... evil mastermind,

but he's sort of sympathetic,
he's sort of likeable...

in his... sad..., pathetic,
sort of... henchman way.

Falcone... is losing his grip,
and his rivals are hungry.

I-I-I can see it coming!

I'm clever that way...,
and I can help you.

Shut up!

I think that these characters...

explore... different aspects
of humanity.

You have the Gordon character

who is, you know,
I call him the white knight.

And then you have... Bullock, who's
kind of walking that line,

that gray area
of what is right and what is wrong.

And then you just have
your just straight out psychotic villains,

like myself and Penguin.

Gotham in this series is more vibrant...
and crowded and archaic

than people will be expecting if they're
used to the Gotham of the movies.

We talked about a city out of control
and our fantasy of 1970s New York

in the films... of Sidney Lumet
and William Friedkin;

graffiti everywhere,
cops everywhere, corruption...

New York in the 70s
just kept getting worse and worse

and-and crazier and crazier. That's
the Gotham that we're looking at today.

We're not saying that the show
takes place at any particular time;

we're trying to... make it
sort of a little bit timeless.

You sort of see these cars,
and you imagine a chase scene

from... "Bullitt"
or from "French Connection".

And yet, at the same time,
it's present day...,

- you know? There are cellphones.
- It's of our world,

- but it's still beyond our world.
- The audience...

has an image of Gotham already, so
we want to make them feel at home,

but we also want
to take a fresh approach.

We do a lot of research,
we look at the comic books,

- we look at films together.
- Things like "Blade Runner",

some of the classic film noir stuff...
Just because they're beautifully designed,

- and they're... they're dark.
- And out of that come

my sketches, my models...,
and eventually my working drawings

that get developed into actual sets,
or locations that we choose

because they fit within the framework
of that world

that we're now..., at that point,
describing to each other.

I think what I'm... most excited
for viewers to see

is the police precinct set.

It's very rich and layered, and I think
that's a very exciting set.

It's sometimes a long road
from initial conception to completion.

That happened today with our...
main set, the precinct set.

We started on that
about 10 weeks ago, and...

here today, the lights come on
and the smoke rolls in, and it looks great.

The biggest challenge is really
the amount of work to do

in the-in the time we're given.
It's a two-story set.

There's a lot of rigging involved
when you get above one story,

so... there's a little more
of, uh, engineering going on.

We're also shooting on rooftops,
that is a certain amount

of engineering and safety involved,
as well as the look.

Gotham..., to a degree,
really is... New York,

and New York is Gotham. So
we had to shoot in New York.

And the energy of the city..., I think
it's feeding into the production...,

I think it's feeding
into our show.

The scenes... play out very gritty
and very real on the rooftops.

Stop!

I can't imagine shooting
the show anywhere else.

The vibrancy of New York City...
street life

infuses... everything
that we do...,

and you really feel it
when you're out on the streets.

I think the alley fight...
is gonna be

one of my favorites... on this.
Ben did a great job.

He picks things up really quick.
He's a great athlete,

and I'm just looking forward
to seeing the final product.

Now, it may be 20 degrees,
and it may be raining and sleeting,

and wind may be... almost
literally knocking you over...,

but that's the kind of in-your-face world
that we're portraying on screen,

so we want to take advantage
of New York City

and everything it has to offer,
and then we want to enjoy

being inside a temperature-controlled
studio as well.

Danny Cannon loves to shoot
as much as possible,

as we call it, in camera.
It's for real, so visual effects

we're using to extend
the world that we create.

Visual effects should always be invisible.
Emotionally, they take a lot away

because people know...
what they're watching isn't real.

Now, one of the things I insisted on
at the beginning of this project

was to do our own
helicopter shoot so that

we could create the city of Gotham
from something that I shot specifically.

Visual effects... then really
helped me... by putting foreground in

so it looked like
I was coming in between things.

We don't want it to look...
like New York City,

so what we're doing
is we're taking those aerials...

or adding elements
to make it feel like it's Gotham.

So we're adding gothic spires,
some art deco buildings,

and we're adding a great deal
of atmosphere to them.

The pilot episode opens
with a young girl

on the rooftop of a building,
in downtown Gotham.

We built... parts of that roof,
gargoyles,

things that are fantasy...
that probably wouldn't be there;

it would be extended by visual effects
to create the rest of Gotham around it.

A common misperception
among people

is that... special effects
is visual effects.

Visual effects is anything
you treat... visually;

special effects is anything
that's done on set practically.

Some of the effects we have, uh,
every day are... some rain effects,

a lot of smoke and atmosphere,
and some gunfire,

some gun squibs,
hits, sparks..., water.

We actually had
a barge on the water

with a little mini bag...
to catch the stunt double...,

and then now we're gonna be over here...
doing that underwater scene.

I have to match
the color of the river water,

so I'm getting crystal clear...
pool water delivered,

and I have to make this clear water
murky..., but not too murky.

They set up the tank, we set up
our green screen, and it looks great.

We've got some temp versions of it
already, and it worked really well.

CG and special effects are used...
just to help us tell the story.

We're shooting in New York,
so we have

the beauty and grandeur of New York
as an integral part of the show,

and we just turn that notch up to 11.

It doesn't look like
we're just in another city;

it feels like Gotham,
there's a slight twist to it all.

The reality's, like, heightened.
There's... a timelessness to it

that Bruno and Danny created
that's really magical.

The great thing about Gotham

is it... encompasses
so many different worlds.

So the tone
is both fun and dark.

It's sexy but dangerous,

it's brutal but sensual.

It's a world of craziness
and a world of beauty,

and the show encapsulates
all of that.

Gotham has always been... a city
with the dial turned up to 11.

Every city's got its dark side.

That's what Gotham is,
and we're gonna explore it

through... the eyes
of Detective Jim Gordon,

who... becomes a legend
in the Gotham City Police Department.

But this is when he just starts out,
before he realizes

the nature and the weight
of the adversary he's up against.

Watching... Gotham just tip ever
so slightly... over the edge.

Into absolute chaos... will be
a really fascinating journey.

- You've killed people before.
- That was war.

This is war!
We're at war!

Sometimes in war, you gotta do
a bad thing to do good, right?

The series is gonna mix...
the elements of a police procedural

with a much more serialized narrative

about the creation
of the great DC villains.

It's not just about the cops,
it's not just about Jim Gordon,

but about the madness that springs
from... this horrible crime.

People are starting
to lose faith in law and order.

Criminals are starting
to run the streets.

The craziness and the kind
of theatrical projection

that villains... have
in the DC world...

just starting to show their faces.

I love the mythology...
of characters,

and so, to be able to... see

how... Penguin and the Riddler...

and... all these characters
got their start

is-is just really exciting.

We're trying to find...

the balance between...

the fantastic world
of the comic books

along with
the actual real human pathos.

However dark and scary
the world might be right now...,

there will be light.

As you continue
to peel back the layers,

there's so much mystery there.

You can never be sure
who's a friend and who's an enemy.

There's romance...,

there's action,

there's... kind of battle
between good and evil.

Stop!
Stop or I'll shoot!

It's not a comic-book world,
it's a mythic world,

it's a dramatic... world

full of adventure
and... sex and violence and fun.

How you doing?

Been better.

There's a war coming,
a-a terrible... war.

There'll-There will be chaos.

Rivers of blood in the streets.