The Penguin and the Arkham Asylum We Never Got: A Lament for a Canceled DC Show
The Penguin, Episode 4: A Darker Arkham Than Ever Before
The Penguin, episode 4 ("Cent'Anni") gave us a seriously intense look inside Arkham State Hospital (that's the Arkham Asylum in Matt Reeves' Batman universe). This new, grittier version is a far cry from past adaptations! And Sofia Falcone's horrifying experiences made this even more impressive, truly bringing into focus how this specific interpretation truly captured how awful this asylum really is. This storyline however deeply affects the narrative. Seeing this bleak, violent portrayal made me even sadder that that planned Arkham Asylum series got canceled by DC Studios. It showcased the brutal treatment that affected various inmates; even showcasing this kind of suffering of several deeply affected patients inside Arkham. This intense, heartbreaking and totally brutal scene is the most powerful depiction seen so far and deeply emphasizes those flaws of the institution!
Arkham Asylum itself is iconic. It was first introduced in Batman #258 (1974); and has become a staple for various depictions for the Batman franchise across different adaptations. This depiction however truly shows that Matt Reeves' version showcases the darkest iteration yet— emphasizing those brutal and terrifying conditions inside Arkham!
Why We Lost an Arkham Asylum Series: DC's Shifting Sands
Matt Reeves confirmed an Arkham Asylum series was happening back in March 2022. It builds upon The Batman's initial glimpse—becoming something resembling a horror movie focusing on origins; and it totally plays into Arkham's haunted house vibe! Sounds great right?
James Gunn's DC Universe reboot however changed that narrative! Then came the cancellation announcement in July 2024, courtesy of Variety. At first? Meh. Now, after that Penguin episode? I'm devastated. And it gets even stranger, since these are two separate storylines in the DC franchise, this could've easily existed and produced two wildly separate titles; further highlighting why some fans feel truly angered by that cancellation choice.
The Inmates and Staff of Arkham: A Universe of Untold Stories
Arkham State Hospital has a rich, dark history and is home to many known criminals – these individuals would all have become part of a future series, as various inmates have already gotten cameos in those prior adaptations; the possibility that an entirely new set of storylines that have far greater intensity than already shown, highlights the amount of unrealized potential!
- Sofia Falcone and other now-deceased inmates need exploring. This should focus on additional depth of background information.
- Riddler’s mother; even Batman's own mother had troubled pasts; providing yet more connections. There were far too many family connections that should've gotten focused on in this never-produced show. And those ties to Arkham's founder, those staff members– Doctor Ventris and Julian Rush (those creepy villains!), should really have their time to shine and they definitely all deserved the attention and deeper character development!
- The Joker (Barry Keoghan): I really wanted to see his Arkham storyline and that much-anticipated story arc deserved better treatment; an Arkham Asylum series should've given that development. His appearance had so much hype that some audience members felt entirely underwhelmed by this series, and some fans are completely ignoring this particular series completely. A massive wasted opportunity that leaves that entire plot severely damaged! And given the quality shown through The Penguin, there were absolutely more interesting storytelling opportunities available!
The Penguin's Success: A Blueprint for Future Batman Spinoffs
The Penguin proved something huge! Those Batman spinoffs can totally work and should absolutely be given continued efforts and exploration. This massive success should drive other projects forward. There are conversations for several other shows involving Scarecrow, Clayface, Professor Pyg and more. (The source material and discussion can be easily seen within The Hollywood Reporter’s stories.) Even the scrapped GCPD series – turned into that canceled Arkham series– had elements woven into The Penguin; showcasing those important plot points and making that particular project an even better result. However, this shows that simply removing one story element did not fix those other concerns surrounding those production flaws; a pity given how effective some of the story concepts might've potentially appeared! That cancellation is a serious pity.
Conclusion: A Darker Arkham Deserved Its Day in the Spotlight!
The loss of that Arkham Asylum series truly stings. It left so many plot opportunities unfulfilled, given what The Penguin accomplished. The fact that this never got produced because of those corporate difficulties in DC Studios; and demonstrates exactly why so many are disappointed by its cancellation! A massive disappointment, not merely a cancelled series, but a missed opportunity, and really disappointing!
