Gotham City

{{Short description|Fictional city, home of Batman}} {{other uses}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox fictional location | name = Gotham City | image = Gotham City Batman Vol 3 14.png | image_size = 250 | caption = Gotham City as illustrated by Mitch Gerads in ''Batman'' (vol. 3) #14 (March 2017) | blank_label = Publisher | blank_data = DC Comics | first = ''Batman'' #4 (December 1940) | series = Batman | creator = Bill Finger (writer) Bob Kane (artist) | genre = Superhero | type = City | people = {{collapsible list|{{Plain list | * Aaron Cash * Ace the Bat-Hound * Alan Scott * Alberto Falcone * Alexis Kaye/Punchline * Alfred Pennyworth * Amadeus Arkham * Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist & Scarface * Arthur Brown/Cluemaster * Bane * Barbara Gordon/Batgirl * Basil Karlo/Clayface * Bruce Wayne/Batman * Bud and Lou * Carmine Falcone * Chuck Brown/Kite-Man * Damian Wayne/Robin * Dick Grayson/Nightwing * Duke Thomas/Signal * Drury Walker/Killer Moth * Edward Nygma/The Riddler * Floyd Lawton/Deadshot * Francine Langstrom * Garfield Lynns/Firefly * Gillian B. Loeb * Hamilton Hill * Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn * Harvey Bullock * Harvey Dent/Two-Face * Hugo Strange * Humphry Dumpler/Humpty Dumpty * Jack Ryder/The Creeper * Jason Todd/Red Hood * Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael * Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter * Jim Gordon * Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow * Julian Day/Calendar Man * Julie Madison * Kirk Langstrom/Man-Bat * Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg * Lonnie Machin/Anarky * Lucius Fox * Mario Falcone * Martha Wayne * Maxie Zeus * Nora Fries * Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin * Otis Flannegan/The Ratcatcher * Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy * Penelope Young * Prometheus * Ra's al Ghul * Renee Montoya * Roman Sionis/Black Mask * Sal Maroni * Selina Kyle/Catwoman * Slade Wilson/Deathstroke * Sofia Falcone * Solomon Grundy * Stephanie Brown/Spoiler * Talia al Ghul * Terry McGinnis * The Joker * Thomas Blake/Catman * Thomas Elliot/Hush * Thomas Wayne * Tim Drake/Red Robin * Vicki Vale * Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze * Victor Zsasz * Warren White/The Great White Shark * Waylon Jones/Killer Croc }}}} | races = | locations = Ace Chemicals Arkham Asylum Batcave Blackgate Penitentiary Gotham City Police Department Iceberg Lounge Wayne Enterprises Wayne Manor }} '''Gotham City''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɒ|θ|əm}} {{respell|GOTH|əm}}), or simply '''Gotham''', is a fictional city in the Northeastern United States that serves as the primary urban setting in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, Gotham was first identified as Batman's place of residence in ''Batman'' #4 (December 1940) and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring the character. In most of its incarnations, Gotham is depicted as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world.

Gotham City is traditionally depicted as being located in the U.S. state of New Jersey.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="DC Comics' 1977">''Amazing World of DC Comics'' #14, March 1977</ref><ref name="WorldsFinest1979">''World's Finest Comics'' #259, October–November 1979</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">''Detective Comics'' #503 June 1983</ref><ref name="DC Universe 1990">''Atlas of the DC Universe'', 1990</ref><ref name="Batman 1993">''Batman: Shadow of the Bat'' Annual #1, June 1993</ref><ref name="ifanboy.com">Montgomery, Paul (May 18, 2011). [http://ifanboy.com/articles/the-secret-geography-of-the-dc-universe-a-really-big-map/ "The Secret Geography of the DC Universe: A Really Big Map"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815140100/http://ifanboy.com/articles/the-secret-geography-of-the-dc-universe-a-really-big-map/ |date=August 15, 2016 }} iFanboy</ref><ref name="BatmanCult">''Batman: The Cult'' #4, November 1988</ref>}} Its look and atmosphere were primarily influenced by New York City, but over the years have drawn inspiration from Chicago and London as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/joker-folie-deux-reveals-where-exactly-gotham-city-is-located|title=Joker: Folie à Deux and The Penguin Place Gotham City in Different US States|publisher=IGN|accessdate=October 2, 2024|date=October 1, 2024}}</ref> Architect Hugh Ferriss' designs also influenced the look and emotional feel of Gotham, particularly in its later depictions.<ref>{{Citation |last=Ferriss |first=Hugh |title=Trinity Portland Cement Company Promotional Materials, Lobby and Escalators, Presentation Drawing |date=1943 |url=https://www.artic.edu/artworks/190961/trinity-portland-cement-company-promotional-materials-lobby-and-escalators-presentation-drawing |access-date=2022-12-07 |archive-date=December 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207105212/https://www.artic.edu/artworks/190961/trinity-portland-cement-company-promotional-materials-lobby-and-escalators-presentation-drawing |url-status=live }}</ref> Bill Finger said that he chose the name "Gotham", and not New York, so that readers in any city could identify with it.<ref name=NYTimes>{{cite web|author=Safire, William|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6D9123AF933A05754C0A963958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=ON LANGUAGE; Jersey's Vanishing 'New'|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 30, 1995|archive-date=December 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207233943/https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6D9123AF933A05754C0A963958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2}}</ref>

Locations used as inspiration or filming locations for Gotham in the live-action ''Batman'' films and television series include Chicago, Detroit, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Liverpool, London, Los Angeles, Newark, New York City, Pittsburgh, Tokyo, and St. Louis.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="LiverpoolEcho">{{Cite web |last=Flaherty |first=Jess |date=March 11, 2020 |title=Liverpool turns into Gotham city as 'The Batman' filming preparation gets underway |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/liverpool-turns-gotham-city-batman-17905737 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312131605/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/liverpool-turns-gotham-city-batman-17905737 |archive-date=March 12, 2020|access-date=March 13, 2020|website=Liverpool Echo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Hinds, Julie |title='Batman v Superman': 10 key metro Detroit filming locations |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/julie-hinds/2016/03/25/batman-v-superman-locations-detroit-michigan-filming-ben-affleck-metropolis-gotham-henry-cavill-gal-gadot/82165492/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230812165238/https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/julie-hinds/2016/03/25/batman-v-superman-locations-detroit-michigan-filming-ben-affleck-metropolis-gotham-henry-cavill-gal-gadot/82165492/ |archive-date=August 12, 2023 |access-date=August 12, 2023 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="MeTV">{{cite web |date=January 11, 2018 |title=Holy microscope! Here are 19 little details you never noticed in 'Batman' |url=https://www.metv.com/lists/holy-microscope-here-are-19-little-details-you-never-noticed-in-batman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322183129/https://www.metv.com/lists/holy-microscope-here-are-19-little-details-you-never-noticed-in-batman |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |access-date=June 18, 2023 |publisher=MeTV |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="WorldwideBBegins">{{cite web |title=Film locations for ''Batman Begins'' |url=http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/batmanbegins.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423004000/http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/batmanbegins.html |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |access-date=December 25, 2010 |publisher=Movie-locations.com}}</ref><ref name="IGNInterview" /><ref name=Reelz>{{cite news|author=J.S., Brent|title=Juicy Plot Details Revealed as The Dark Knight Rises Moves to Pittsburgh|url=http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/11046/juicy-plot-details-revealed-as-the-dark-knight-rises-moves-to-pittsburgh/|publisher=Reelz Channel|date=June 12, 2011|access-date=June 15, 2011|archive-date=August 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811035450/http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/11046/juicy-plot-details-revealed-as-the-dark-knight-rises-moves-to-pittsburgh/}}</ref><ref name=PittPostGazette>{{Cite news |first=Barbara |last=Vancheri |date=August 21, 2011 |title=Fans glimpse final round of 'Dark Knight' filming |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11233/1168937-100.stm |access-date=August 23, 2011 |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310204805/https://old.post-gazette.com/pg/11233/1168937-100.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=MTV>{{cite web|url=http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/10/28/dark-knight-rises-donald-trump/|title='Dark Knight Rises' Meets... Donald Trump?|last=Wigler|first=Josh|publisher=MTV|date=February 15, 2012|access-date=February 15, 2012|archive-date=October 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030031300/http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/10/28/dark-knight-rises-donald-trump/}}</ref><ref name=NJ.com1>{{Citation|title=Gridlock in Gotham: 'Dark Knight' filming in Newark likely to cause massive traffic delays this week|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=November 2, 2011|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/dark_knight_filming_in_newark.html|access-date=November 5, 2011|archive-date=November 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104144433/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/dark_knight_filming_in_newark.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=NewYorkPost>{{Citation| title='The Dark Knight Rises' to film in Newark| newspaper=New York Post| date=November 3, 2011| url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/the_dark_knight_rises_to_film_in_UPEWXPpwgAOSjuLjSq6wvL| access-date=November 5, 2011| archive-date=November 5, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105205333/http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/the_dark_knight_rises_to_film_in_UPEWXPpwgAOSjuLjSq6wvL| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=NJ.com2>{{cite web|last=Di Ionno|first=Mark|title=Di Ionno: Trying to unmask Newark's secret identity as a Batman film location|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=November 5, 2011|url=http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2011/11/di_ionno_the_dark_knight_rises.html|access-date=July 21, 2012|archive-date=November 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106185852/http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2011/11/di_ionno_the_dark_knight_rises.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

==Origin of name== In Jim Steranko's ''History of the Comics'', writer Bill Finger said, "Originally I was going to call Gotham City 'Civic City.' Then I tried 'Capital City,' then 'Coast City.' Then I flipped through the New York City phone book and spotted the name 'Gotham Jewelers' and said, 'That's it,' Gotham City. We didn't call it New York because we wanted anybody in any city to identify with it."<ref name=NYTimes/><ref>{{cite book |author-link=Jim Steranko |last=Steranko |first=Jim |title=The Steranko History of Comics |publisher=Supergraphics |location=Reading, PA |year=1970 |isbn=978-0-517-50188-7 |page=44}}</ref>

"Gotham" is a nickname for New York City that first became popular in the 19th century. Washington Irving had first attached the name to New York in the November 11, 1807, edition of ''Salmagundi'', a periodical which lampooned New York culture and politics.<ref name="HistoryOfNYC">Burrows, Edwin G. and Mike Wallace. ''Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898''. (Oxford University Press, 1999), 417.</ref> Irving took the name from the English village of Gotham, Nottinghamshire, which was known for the Wise Men of Gotham legend, in which the village's residents feigned idiocy to prevent a royal visit from John, King of England.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-got1.htm |title= Gotham |publisher= World Wide Words |date= February 6, 1999 |access-date= July 13, 2011 |archive-date= August 18, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220818045716/http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-got1.htm |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-24760791 |title=The real Gotham: The village behind the Batman stories |date=January 1, 2014 |last=Lowbridge |first=Caroline |work=BBC News |access-date=June 20, 2015 |archive-date=January 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101181145/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-24760791 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Geography and history == [[File:Gotham City map (Amazing World of DC Comics).jpg|thumbnail|A map showing Gotham City in the U.S. state of New Jersey from ''Amazing World of DC Comics'' #14 (March 1977). Art by Dick Dillin.]] Gotham City, like other cities in the DC Universe, has varied in its depictions over the decades, but its location is traditionally depicted as being in the state of New Jersey.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="DC Comics' 1977"/><ref name="Batman 1993" /><ref name="ifanboy.com" /><ref>''The World's Greatest Super Heroes'', August 13, 1978</ref><ref>''World's Finest Comics'' #259, October–November 1979</ref><ref>''The New Adventures of Superboy'' #14, October 1981</ref>}} Gotham and Metropolis are sometimes portrayed as twin cities on opposite sides of the Delaware Bay, with Gotham in New Jersey and Metropolis in Delaware.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="WorldsFinest1979" /><ref name="DC Universe 1990" /><ref name="ifanboy.com" /><ref>''Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000'' #1 (March 2000)</ref>}}

Gotham City is described as being founded in 1635 by Jon Logerquist, a Norwegian mercenary, before being taken over by the English; this history parallels the history of New York City, which was founded by the Dutch as New Amsterdam before being conquered by England and renamed New York.<ref>''Atlas of the DC Universe''. Mayfair Games.</ref> In Rick Veitch's comic ''Swamp Thing'' #85 featuring the character Tomahawk, Gotham is described as being the site of a major battle between American and British forces during the American Revolutionary War, which is a reference to the real-life Battle of Long Island. In the comic, Gotham is also rumored to be a site of occult rites.

The 2011 comic series ''Batman: Gates of Gotham'' details a history of Gotham in which Alan Wayne (Bruce Wayne's ancestor), Theodore Cobblepot (Oswald Cobblepot's ancestor), and Edward Elliot (Thomas Elliot's ancestor) are considered the founding fathers of Gotham. In 1881, they constructed three bridges called the Gates of Gotham, each bearing one of their last names. Edward Elliot became increasingly jealous of the Wayne family's popularity and wealth during this period; his jealousy would spread to his great-great-grandson Thomas Elliot, also known as Hush.<ref>'''Batman: Gates to Gotham'', May 2011</ref>

The occult origins of Gotham are further explored in Peter Milligan's 1990 story arc "Dark Knight, Dark City",<ref>{{cite web|author=Burgas, Greg|title=Dark Knight, Dark City|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/04/13/comics-you-should-own-flashback-batman-452-454/|date=April 13, 2010|website=Comic Book Resources|access-date=July 29, 2012|archive-date=September 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927184121/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/04/13/comics-you-should-own-flashback-batman-452-454/|url-status=dead}}</ref> which depicts some of the Founding Fathers of the United States being involved in summoning a bat-demon which becomes trapped beneath old "Gotham Town", its dark influence spreading as Gotham City evolves. A similar premise is found in 2005's ''Shadowpact'' #5 by Bill Willingham, which describes a being who has slept for 40,000 years beneath the land upon which Gotham was built. Strega, the being's servant, says that the "dark and often cursed character" of the city was influenced by the being who now uses the name "Doctor Gotham". In ''Gotham Underground'' #2 by Frank Tieri, Tobias Whale claims that 19th century Gotham was run by five rival gangs, until the first "masks" appeared, eventually forming a gang of their own. It is not made clear whether these were vigilantes or costumed criminals.thumb|Gotham City in 1881 from ''Batman: Gates of Gotham'' (April 2011). Art by Trevor McCarthy.

Many storylines have added more events to Gotham's history, at the same time greatly affecting the city and its people. Perhaps the greatest in effect was a long set of serial storylines, which started with Ra's al Ghul releasing a debilitating virus called the "Clench" during the "Contagion" storyline. As that arc concluded, the city was beginning to recover, only to suffer an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale in the 1998 "Cataclysm" storyline. This resulted in the federal government cutting Gotham off from the rest of the United States in the 1999 storyline "No Man's Land", the city's remaining residents forced to engage in gang warfare, either as active participants or paying for protection from groups ranging from the GCPD to the Penguin, just to stay alive. Eventually, Gotham was rebuilt and returned to the U.S. as part of a campaign mounted by Lex Luthor, who used the positive publicity of his role to make a successful bid for the position of President of the United States.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2021}} Suggestions of other Gotham City histories include a founding date of 1820 seen in a city seal in ''Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders'', and a 200th anniversary of the city being celebrated in Tim Burton's Batman, either of which would make Maine the most likely state to contain Gotham City.

==Culture== ''Batman'' writer and editor Dennis O'Neil has said that, figuratively, Batman's Gotham City is akin to "Manhattan below 14th Street at eleven minutes past midnight on the coldest night in November".<ref>O'Neil, Dennis. Afterword. ''Batman: Knightfall, A Novel''. New York: Bantam Books. 1994. 344.</ref> Batman artist Neal Adams has long believed that Chicago has been the basis for Gotham, stating "one of the things about Chicago is Chicago has alleys (which are virtually nonexistent in New York). Back alleys, that's where Batman fights all the bad guys."<ref name=Today>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/dark-knights-kind-town-gotham-city-1C9412739|title=Dark Knight's kind of town: Gotham City|work=Today|publisher=Associated Press|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=July 20, 2008|access-date=February 18, 2023|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006122822/http://www.today.com/id/25774413#.UzZCF8d4Q9U}}</ref> The statement "Metropolis is New York by day; Gotham City is New York by night" has been variously attributed to comics creators Frank Miller and John Byrne.<ref name="Bopik">{{cite news |last=Bopik |first=Barry |date=March 29, 2008 |title=Metropolis is New York by day; Gotham City is New York by night |url=http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/metropolis_is_new_york_by_day_gotham_city_is_new_york_by_night/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116065946/http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/metropolis_is_new_york_by_day_gotham_city_is_new_york_by_night/ |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |access-date=March 28, 2013}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Source is a personal blog: https://barrypopik.com/ not an RS|date=July 2025}}

thumbnail|Airships are commonly depicted flying over Gotham City.<ref name="Batman' 2011">''Batman'' (vol. 2) #2, December 2011</ref> Art by Jim Lee. In designing ''Batman: The Animated Series'', creators Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski emulated the Tim Burton films' "otherworldly timelessness", incorporating period features such as black-and-white title cards, police airships (although no such thing existed, Timm has stated that he found it to fit the show's style), and a "vintage" color scheme with film noir flourishes.<ref name="LeatherWingsComm">Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, audio commentary for "On Leather Wings", ''Batman: The Animated Series'', Warner Bros, Volume One box set DVD.</ref> Police airships have since been incorporated into Batman comic books and are a recurring element in Gotham City.<ref name="Batman' 2011"/>

Concerning the evolution of Gotham throughout the years, former ''Batman'' editor Paul Levitz has stated, "Each guy adds their own vision. That's the fun of comics, rebuilding a city each time".<ref name=Today/>

===Architecture=== [[File:Helsinki Railway station towe&statues.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.7|Art Deco and Art Nouveau buildings, such as Helsinki Central Railway Station, inspired the look of Gotham in the 1989 film ''Batman''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/760478/Helsinki-a-cruisers-guide.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/760478/Helsinki-a-cruisers-guide.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Helsinki: a cruiser's guide |newspaper=The Telegraph |date= February 27, 2008|access-date=May 14, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]] In ''Batman: Gothic'', Gotham Cathedral plays a central role in the story since it is built by Mr. Whisper, the story's antagonist.

In a 1992 storyline, a man obsessed with Pinkney's architecture destroys several Gotham buildings to reveal the Pinkney structures they had hidden; the editorial purpose behind this was to make Gotham resemble its depiction in the 1989 ''Batman'' film.<ref>{{Cite comic | Writer = Grant, Alan | Artist = Breyfogle, Norm| Story = The Destroyer Part One: A Tale of Two Cities| Title = Batman|Issue = 474|date=February 1992| Publisher = DC Comics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite comic| Writer = Grant, Alan|Penciller = Sprouse, Chris| Inker = Patterson, Bruce| Copencillers = Anton Furst|Story = The Destroyer Part Two: Solomon|Title = Legends of the Dark Knight| Issue = 27|date=February 1992| Publisher = DC Comics }}</ref><ref>{{Cite comic| Writer =Grant, Alan| Penciller = Aparo, Jim| Inker = DeCarlo, Mike|Story =The Destroyer Part Three| Title = Detective Comics| Issue = #641|date=February 1992| Publisher = DC Comics}}</ref>

''Batman Begins'' features a CGI-augmented version of Chicago while ''The Dark Knight'' more directly features Chicago infrastructure and architecture such as Navy Pier. ''The Dark Knight Rises'' forgoes Chicago, instead shooting in Pittsburgh; Los Angeles; New York City; Newark, New Jersey; London; and Glasgow.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name=Reelz/><ref name=PittPostGazette/><ref name=MTV/><ref name=NJ.com1/><ref name=NewYorkPost/><ref name=NJ.com2/>}}

==Notable residents== Batman enlists the help of numerous characters—including his sidekick, Robin—in the various Batman-related comics in the DC Comics continuity (multiple characters have been given the title "Robin", including Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Spoiler and Batman's son Damian Wayne). In addition to the Robins or former Robins, there is Catwoman, Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Signal, Batwing, Batwoman, and Huntress.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manning |first=Matthew |title=Batman Character Encyclopedia |publisher=DK Children |year=2016 |isbn=9781465444981 |location=New York}}</ref>[[File:Batman Knight over Gotham.jpg|thumb|275px|Batman overlooks Gotham, his home city. Art by Alex Ross.]]

Other DC characters have also been depicted living in Gotham, including Hitman,<ref>Ennis, Garth (w). John McCrea (a). "A Rage in Arkham". ''Hitman''. April 1996</ref> Jason Blood, Alan Scott,<ref>''Detective Comics'' #784–786</ref> Jim Corrigan,<ref>''More Fun Comics'' #94</ref> Black Canary,<ref name="Secret Origins #50. DC Comics">''Secret Origins'' #50</ref> Starman,<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #89</ref> and the Grey Ghost.<ref>''Sensation Comics'' #25</ref>

Apart from Gotham's superhero residents, the residents of the city feature in a back-up series in ''Detective Comics'' called ''Tales of Gotham City''<ref>''Detective Comics'' #488–490, 492, 494, 495, 504, 507</ref> and in two limited series called ''Gotham Nights''. The Gotham City Police Department is the focus of the series ''Gotham Central'', as well as the mini-series ''Gordon's Law'', ''Bullock's Law'', and ''Batman: GCPD''.

===Mayors=== The first Gotham mayor depicted in comics was in ''Detective Comics'' #68 (October 1942).<ref>''Batman'' #12 (October 1942)</ref><ref>''Detective Comics'' #68</ref> Theodore Cobblepot, great-grandfather of the Penguin, was mayor in the late 19th century.<ref>''Gotham Underground''</ref> Mayor Aubrey James was a contemporary of Thomas Wayne who was stabbed to death.<ref>''Legends of the Dark Knight'' 204-206</ref>

Hamilton Hill became mayor through the backing of crime boss Rupert Thorne but was ultimately ousted from office and replaced by George Skowcroft.<ref>''Batman'' #381</ref><ref>''Detective Comics'' #551.</ref> Marion Grange later became mayor with the backing of Bruce Wayne, but was assassinated while trying to secure federal aid for Gotham after an earthquake.<ref>''Batman: Road to No Man's Land''</ref> Sebastian Hady was a corrupt mayor who was eventually killed by the League of Shadows.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #951</ref> Michael Akins, former commissioner of police, was appointed mayor,<ref>''Detective Comics'' #969</ref> and later replaced by a man named Atkins.<ref>''Batman vs. Ra's al Ghul'' #1</ref> Following the storyline "The Joker War", anti-vigilante candidate Christopher Nakano wins election in a landslide.<ref>{{cite news|title=DC December 2020 solicitations and covers|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-december-solicitations-covers/|publisher=Newsarama|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020|archive-date=September 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911180200/https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-december-solicitations-covers/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In other media== ===Television=== In multiple episodes of the 1960s live-action ''Batman'' television series, Batman is seen consulting a transparent map of Gotham, which is an inverted map of St. Louis.<ref name=MeTV/>

The live-action TV series ''Gotham'' was filmed in New York City and was an important requirement of the show's creative team.<ref name=DenOfGeek>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/gotham-the-evolution-of-batmans-hometown/|title=Gotham: The Evolution of Batman's Hometown|date=2015-05-04|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-27|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327231402/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/gotham-the-evolution-of-batmans-hometown/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to executive producer Danny Cannon, its atmosphere was inspired by the look of New York in the 1970s films of Sidney Lumet and William Friedkin. Clues to this include signs showing phone numbers bearing the area code 212.<ref name="gothamreborn">[http://www.fox.com/watch/318588995990 "''Gotham: The Legend Reborn'' Preview Special: Behind The Shadows (Part 3)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903101432/http://www.fox.com/watch/318588995990 |date=September 3, 2014 }}. Fox Broadcasting Company. Retrieved August 30, 2014.</ref> Donal Logue, who portrayed Harvey Bullock, described different aspects of that series' design of Gotham City as exhibiting different sensibilities, explaining, "for me, you can step into things that almost feel like the roaring 20s, and then there's this other really kind of heavy ''Blade Runner'' vibe floating around. There are elements of it that are completely contemporary and there are pieces of it that are very old-fashioned ... There were a couple of examples of modern technology, but maybe an antiquated version of it, that gave me a little bit of sense that it's certainly not the 50s and the 60s ... But it's not high tech and it's not futuristic, by any means."<ref>{{cite web |last=Hankins |first=Brent |url=http://nerdrepository.com/interview-donal-logue-talks-conflict-character-development-gotham/ |title=Interview: Donal Logue talks conflict and character development in 'Gotham' |publisher=Nerd Repository |date=February 18, 2014 |access-date=February 18, 2014 |archive-date=February 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218185440/http://nerdrepository.com/interview-donal-logue-talks-conflict-character-development-gotham/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In ''Young Justice'', Gotham is implied to be located in Connecticut, near Bridgeport.

The 2019 series ''Batwoman'', which is set in Gotham City, was filmed in Chicago.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-batwoman-pilot-filming-chicago-20190325-story.html |title='Batwoman' TV pilot filming scenes in Chicago this week |last=Swartz |first=Tracy |date=March 25, 2019 |website=Chicago Tribune |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407231313/https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-batwoman-pilot-filming-chicago-20190325-story.html |archive-date=April 7, 2019 |access-date=April 7, 2019}}</ref>

The 2024 series ''The Penguin'' is set in Gotham City.

====DC Animated Universe==== {{main|DC Animated Universe}}

Gotham City is featured heavily in ''Batman: The Animated Series''. When describing Gotham City Paul Dini, a writer and director of the show, stated, "In my mind, it was sort of like what if the 1939 World's Fair had gone on another 60 years or so".<ref name=DenOfGeek/> In the episode "Joker's Favor", a driver's license lists a Gotham area resident's hometown as "Gotham Estates, NY". In the episode "Avatar", when Bruce Wayne leaves for England, a map shows Gotham City, at the joining of Long Island and the Hudson River. The episode "Fire from Olympus" shows a character's address in a police file indicating that Gotham City is located in New York state. The episode "The Mechanic", however, implies that Gotham is located in a state called Gotham; a prison workshop is shown stamping license plates that read "Gotham: The Dark Deco State" (as a reference to the artistic style of the series). The episode "Harlequinade" states that Gotham has a population of approximately 10 million.

''Batman Beyond'' (1999–2001) envisions a Gotham City in 2039, referred to as Neo-Gotham.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/batman-beyond-neo-gothic-delves-into-the-mysteries-of-old-gotham-this-summer/|title=Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic delves into the mysteries of Old Gotham this summer|website=Newsarama|author=Marston, George|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=April 9, 2023|access-date=April 13, 2023|archive-date=April 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406164924/https://www.gamesradar.com/batman-beyond-neo-gothic-delves-into-the-mysteries-of-old-gotham-this-summer/}}</ref>

====Arrowverse==== {{main|Arrowverse}}

Gotham City was first shown in the Arrowverse as part of "Elseworlds", a 2018 crossover storyline among the shows, which introduced Batwoman, although it had been referred to several times previously.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/batwoman-make-arrow-verse-debut-next-crossover-1112799 |title=Batwoman to Make in 'Arrow'-verse Debut in Next Crossover |last=Goldberg |first=Lesley |work=Hollywood Reporter |date=May 17, 2018 |access-date=May 17, 2018 |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518001654/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/batwoman-make-arrow-verse-debut-next-crossover-1112799 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In ''The Flash'' episode "Marathon", a map shows Gotham City in place of Chicago, Illinois.

====Theme parks==== Themed lands meant to represent Gotham City have been physically constructed in several different theme parks around the world. WB Movie World in Germany featured a Gotham City section that housed Batman Adventure – The Ride, and Six Flags Magic Mountain opened a section called the "Gotham City Backlot" that featured Batman: The Ride. The section featured at Magic Mountain was designed by park designer Kevin Barbee, and alongside the opening of Batman: The Ride coincided with the largest expansion the park had ever undergone in 23 years, with the theming elements primarily having been inspired by the ''Batman'' films directed by Tim Burton. Both the ride and the Gotham City Backlot opened on March 26, 1994.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-26-ca-38648-story.html |title=Batman Scales the Mountain: Gotham City Area, Roller Coaster Are Largest Expansion in Magic Mountain's 23-Year History at the Los Angeles Times |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 26, 1994 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808024627/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-26-ca-38648-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Magic Mountain section closed at the end of the park's 2010 season and was later rethemed and rebranded as the "DC Universe", featuring characters and attractions other than just Batman. It reopened in 2011.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi features a section themed after Gotham City, including rides based on Batman, the Riddler and the Scarecrow as well as a walk-through attraction called "The Joker's Funhouse". The park and its Gotham City section were designed by Thinkwell Group.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thinkwellgroup.com/project/warner-bros-world-abu-dhabi/ |title=Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi at Thinkwell Group |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814034825/https://thinkwellgroup.com/project/warner-bros-world-abu-dhabi/ |url-status=live }}</ref> DC characters as they appear in both the attractions themselves as well as through live performers feature costumes based on The New 52 comic book relaunch from 2011. The Gotham City section neighbors another section themed after Metropolis, home of Superman.

===Films=== ====1989 Batman series==== {{main|Batman (1989 film series)}}

[[File:Gotham skyline.JPG|right|thumb|Gotham City's skyline in the 1989 ''Batman'' film]] ''Batman'' (1989) director Tim Burton wanted a timeless alternative to New York and described it as "hell burst through the pavement and grew".<ref name=DenOfGeek/> The look of Gotham was overseen by production designer Anton Furst, who won an Oscar for supervising the art department.<ref name=EntertainmentWeekly>{{cite magazine |last=Daly |first=Steve |url=https://ew.com/article/1992/06/19/designing-set-batman-returns/ |title=Sets Appeal: Designing 'Batman Returns' |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 19, 1992 |access-date=December 25, 2010 |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010170405/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310819,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Furst stated ''Batman'' was "definitely based in many ways on the worst aspects of New York City" and was inspired by Andreas Feininger's photographs of 1940s New York. Furst's draftsman Nigel Phelps created numerous charcoal drawings of the buildings and interior sets for the production.<ref name=BuildMoviescapes>{{Cite book|last=Hanson|first=Matt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f48nl_3Up8gC&q=furst+%22the+worst+aspects+of+New+York%22&pg=PA37|title=Building Sci-fi Moviescapes: The Science Behind the Fiction|date=2005|publisher=Gulf Professional|isbn=978-0-240-80772-0|language=en}}</ref>

Following the death of Furst, Burton tapped Bo Welch to oversee production design for ''Batman Returns'' (1992). Burton wanted Welch to re-imagine Gotham, stating "''Batman'' didn't feel big to me – it didn't have the power an old American city has".<ref name=Ranker>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ranker.com/list/what-city-inspired-gotham/eric-vega|title=The Many Inspirations For Every Onscreen Portrayal Of Gotham City|last=Luis|first=Eric|date=2019-10-30|website=Ranker|language=en|access-date=2020-03-27|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327231402/https://www.ranker.com/list/what-city-inspired-gotham/eric-vega|url-status=live}}</ref> Welch wanted to expand on the same basic concept for the sequel but moved away from European influences to show more American Art Deco/World's Fair elements.<ref name=EntertainmentWeekly/><ref>{{cite magazine|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117901465.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|title=Review: 'Batman Returns'|quote=Lensed seemingly entirely indoors or on covered sets, pic is a magnificently atmospheric elaboration on German expressionism. Its look has been freshly imagined by production designer Bo Welch, based on the Oscar-winning concepts of the late Anton Furst in the first installment. Welch's Gotham City looms ominously over all individuals, and every set-from Penguin's aquarium-like lair and Shreck's lavish offices to Bruce Wayne's vaguely 'Citizen Kane'-like mansion and simple back alleys-is brilliantly executed to maximum evocative effect|magazine=Variety|date=June 14, 1992|access-date=December 25, 2010|archive-date=April 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427011546/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117901465.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked what inspired his interpretation of Gotham, Welch stated "[H]ow can I create a visual expression of corruption and greed? That got me thinking about the fascistic architecture employed at world's fairs ... That feels corrupt because it's evocative of oppressive bureaucracies and dictatorships ... So I looked at a lot of [Third Reich] art and images from world's fairs".<ref name=Ranker/> To physically make the city seem darker, he designed tall "oppressively overbuilt" cityscape that physically blocked out light.<ref name=Variety>{{cite web |last=Daly |first=Steve |url=https://ew.com/article/1992/06/19/designing-set-batman-returns/ |title=Sets Appeal: Designing 'Batman Returns' |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 19, 1992 |access-date=December 25, 2010 |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010170405/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310819,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Ranker/>

When Joel Schumacher took over directing the ''Batman'' film series from Tim Burton, Barbara Ling handled the production design for both of Schumacher's films, ''Batman Forever'' (1995)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-production-designer-barbara-ling-quentin-tarantino-production-value-news/|title=How 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' Production Designer Barbara Ling Brought Quentin Tarantino's Favorite Restaurants Back Into The '60s — Production Value Video Series|last=Grobar |first=Matt|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=November 7, 2019|access-date=February 10, 2020|archive-date=January 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110021035/https://deadline.com/video/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-production-designer-barbara-ling-quentin-tarantino-production-value-news/}}</ref> and 1997's ''Batman & Robin''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/batmanandrobin.html |title=Film locations for ''Batman & Robin'' |website=The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations |access-date=December 25, 2010 |archive-date=November 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129120053/http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/batmanandrobin.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shoestring.org/mmi_revs/batman-robin.html |title=Barbara Ling's no-holds-barred production design makes Gotham look more surreal than ever |publisher=Shoestring Radio Theater |access-date=December 25, 2010 |archive-date=September 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903065038/http://www.shoestring.org/mmi_revs/batman-robin.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Ling's vision of Gotham City was a luminous and outlandish evocation of modern Expressionism{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} and Constructivism.<ref>''Batman & Robin'' DVD extras</ref> Its futuristic design, which ''Washington Post'' critic Desson Howe felt evoked the 1982 film ''Blade Runner'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/batmanforever.htm|newspaper=The Washington Post|title='Batman Forever': Robin Debuts|last=Howe |first=Desson|url-status=live|language=en-US|access-date=March 7, 2022|archive-date=January 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119040902/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/batmanforever.htm|quote=Departing from former ''Batman'' director Tim Burton's gothic approach to New York, Schumacher and production designer Barbara Ling compulsively layer the background with a futuristic city design that seems to aim for ''Blade Runner'' by way of ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles''}}</ref> were described by Ling in her book, ''Bigger, Bolder, Brighter: The Production Design of Batman & Robin'', as a cross between 1930s Manhattan and the "Neo-Tokyo" of ''Akira''. Ling cited "neon-ridden" Tokyo and the Machine Age as her influences, describing her Gotham as "like a World's Fair on ecstasy".<ref>Barbara Ling, ''Bigger, Bolder, Brighter: The Production Design of Batman & Robin''. 2005. Warner Home Video</ref> When Batman is pursuing Two-Face in ''Batman Forever'', the chase ends at Lady Gotham, the fictional equivalent of the Statue of Liberty. During Mr. Freeze's attempt to freeze Gotham in the film ''Batman & Robin'', the targeting screen for his giant laser locates it somewhere on the New England shoreline, possibly as far north as Maine. The soundtrack for ''Batman & Robin'' features a song named after the city and sung by R. Kelly, later included on international editions of his 1998 double album ''R.''

====The ''Dark Knight'' trilogy==== {{main|The Dark Knight Trilogy}}

Director Christopher Nolan has stated that Chicago inspired his portrayal of Gotham, and the majority of both ''Batman Begins'' (2005) and ''The Dark Knight'' (2008) were filmed there.<ref name=Today/> However, Nolan's Gotham City was deliberately set in New Jersey to honor Gotham's location in the comic books.<ref name=Distractify>{{cite web |url= https://www.distractify.com/p/the-batman-filming-locations |title= These Are the Cities Standing in for Gotham in 'The Batman' |website= Distractify |date= March 4, 2022 |access-date= March 6, 2022 |archive-date= March 6, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220306213912/https://www.distractify.com/p/the-batman-filming-locations |url-status= live }}</ref>

For ''Batman Begins'', Nolan desired that Gotham appear as a large, modern city that nonetheless reflects a variety of architectural styles and periods, as well as different socioeconomic strata. The production's approach depicted Gotham as an exaggeration of New York City, with elements taken from Chicago, the elevated freeways and monorails of Tokyo,<ref name=IGNInterview>{{cite web | first=Jeff | last=Otto | url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/622/622719p1.html | title=Interview: Christopher Nolan | website=IGN | date=June 5, 2006 | access-date=November 6, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331134903/http://movies.ign.com/articles/622/622719p1.html | archive-date=March 31, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and the "walled city of Kalhoon"{{sic}} in Hong Kong, which was the basis for the slum in the film known as The Narrows.<ref name=WorldwideBBegins/><ref name=IGNInterview/>

In ''The Dark Knight'', more Chicago and New York influences were observed. On filming in Chicago, James McAllister, key location manager stated, "visually it's that look like you would see in the comic books". Nolan also stated "there's all these different boroughs, with rivers to interconnect. I think it's hard to get away from that, because Gotham is based on New York."<ref name=Today/>

For ''The Dark Knight Rises'' (2012), the production utilized Pittsburgh; Los Angeles; New York City; Newark, New Jersey; London; Glasgow; and Toronto for shots of Gotham City.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name=Reelz/><ref name=PittPostGazette/><ref name=MTV/><ref name=NJ.com1/><ref name=NewYorkPost/><ref name=NJ.com2/>}}

====DC Extended Universe==== {{main|DC Extended Universe}}

Within the DC Extended Universe, Gotham City is located in Gotham County, New Jersey. In ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'', paperwork mentions that the city is in Gotham County, and Amanda Waller's files on Deadshot and Harley Quinn in ''Suicide Squad'' reveal Gotham City to be located in the state of New Jersey.<ref name="APP">{{cite news |date=August 5, 2016 |title=Review: 'Suicide Squad' |url=http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/movies/2016/08/05/review-suicide-squad-another-super-dc-mess/88286868/ |newspaper=Asbury Park Press}}</ref><ref name="CBR">{{cite web |date=August 7, 2016 |title="Suicide Squad": The Biggest Revelations From The Latest DC Film |url=https://www.cbr.com/suicide-squad-the-biggest-revelations-from-the-latest-dc-film/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819131655/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/suicide-squad-the-biggest-revelations-from-the-latest-dc-film |archive-date=August 19, 2016 |access-date=August 7, 2016 |publisher=CBR.com}}</ref> Zack Snyder confirmed that Metropolis and Gotham City are in geographical proximity to each other.<ref>{{Cite magazine| url=https://www.wired.com/2015/07/dawn-of-justice-gotham-metropolis/| title=Zack Snyder Turned Gotham City and Metropolis into the Bay Area| magazine=Wired| date=July 11, 2015| access-date=March 7, 2017| archive-date=March 13, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313080330/https://www.wired.com/2015/07/dawn-of-justice-gotham-metropolis/| url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Boston Globe'' compared the proximity of Gotham City and Metropolis to Jersey City and Manhattan.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2016/03/23/chaotic-joyless-superhero-showdown/roD16b4FzoQm6oue4oA6LJ/story.html|title ='Batman v Superman' is dark and chaotic|last=Burr |first=Ty|newspaper=Boston Globe|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=March 24, 2016|access-date=March 7, 2022|archive-date=March 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326004336/https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2016/03/23/chaotic-joyless-superhero-showdown/roD16b4FzoQm6oue4oA6LJ/story.html}}</ref> A television ad for Turkish Airlines that premiered during the 2016 Super Bowl featured Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) promoting Gotham as a tourist destination.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batman-v-superman-gotham-metropolis-863008|title='Batman v Superman': Gotham and Metropolis Detailed in New Promo|last=McMillan |first=Graeme|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=February 8, 2016|access-date=March 7, 2022|archive-date=January 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119143554/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/batman-v-superman-gotham-metropolis-863008/}}</ref>

To create Gotham in ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'', the creative team "decided to recreate and combine large sections of existing selected city sections and adapt the architecture and layout to fit Gotham's. Thousands of photographs were put through MPC's photogrammetry pipeline to create geometry and textures for each city section."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/batman-v-superman-doomsday-gotham-city-concept-art/|title=Batman V Superman Concept Art: Early Doomsday & Gotham City Designs|date=2017-02-13|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-27|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327231406/https://screenrant.com/batman-v-superman-doomsday-gotham-city-concept-art/|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Birds of Prey'', which takes place in Gotham, was shot entirely in Los Angeles. It was originally expected to be filmed in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, but the production received a tax credit from California, incentivizing the location change.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/harley-quinn-spinoff-film-birds-prey-california-tax-credit-recipients-1129269/|title=Harley Quinn Spinoff Film 'Birds of Prey' Among Latest California Tax Credit Recipients| website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Kilday |first=Gregg|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=July 23, 2018|access-date=March 7, 2022|archive-date=March 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304220057/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/harley-quinn-spinoff-film-birds-prey-california-tax-credit-recipients-1129269/}}</ref>

====''The Batman''==== {{main|The Batman (film)}}

The 2022 Matt Reeves film ''The Batman'' delves into the criminal underbelly of Gotham City through noir-style storytelling and highlights themes of corruption rampant within the city's government and police department.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cnet.com/news/the-batman-director-matt-reeves-wants-to-put-you-off-kilter/ |title= 'The Batman' Director Matt Reeves Wants to Put You Off-Kilter |publisher= CNET |date= March 6, 2022 |access-date= March 6, 2022 |archive-date= March 5, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220305202523/https://www.cnet.com/news/the-batman-director-matt-reeves-wants-to-put-you-off-kilter/ |url-status= live }}</ref> The film used London, Glasgow,<ref name="syfy">{{Cite web |last=Oller |first=Jacob |date=February 21, 2020 |title='The Batman' Suits Up for the Graveyard Shift in Bat-Cycle Set Photos |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-batman-batsuit-motorcycle-set-pictures |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222041534/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-batman-batsuit-motorcycle-set-pictures |archive-date=February 22, 2020 |access-date=February 21, 2020 |website=Syfy Wire}}</ref> Liverpool,<ref name=LiverpoolEcho/> and Chicago as filming locations for Gotham City,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://reelchicago.com/article/exclusive-photos-the-batman-filming-in-chicago-loop/|title=Exclusive Photos – The Batman filming in Chicago Loop|work=Reel Chicago|last=Roche |first=Matthew|date=October 20, 2020|access-date=January 24, 2022|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118063441/https://reelchicago.com/article/exclusive-photos-the-batman-filming-in-chicago-loop/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/dc/news/the-batman-set-chicago-motorcycle-photos-video/|title=The Batman Set Shows Dark, Gritty Gotham With Easter Eggs in Exclusive Set Video|work=ComicBook.com|last=Davis |first=Brandon|date=October 19, 2020|access-date=January 24, 2022|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125143627/https://comicbook.com/dc/news/the-batman-set-chicago-motorcycle-photos-video/}}</ref> although it was modeled on New York City.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-matt-reeves-1235188970 |title= 'The Batman' Review: A Tortured Robert Pattinson Goes Even Darker Than 'The Dark Knight' |work= Variety |date= February 28, 2022 |access-date= March 6, 2022 |archive-date= March 5, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220305211115/https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-matt-reeves-1235188970/ |url-status= live }}</ref> A towering skyscraper similar to the Empire State Building looms over Gotham City with an emblazoned sign that reads "Gotham Empire". A busy, commercial intersection called "Gotham Square" is seen in several shots and resembles Times Square with its bright signs and giant digital screens. The film's concluding sequence, while filmed at London's O2 Arena, is called "Gotham Square Garden", taking its naming convention from New York's Madison Square Garden.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2022/03/03/the-batman-made-me-feel-miserable-about-living-in-nyc|title='The Batman' made me feel miserable about living in crime-ridden NYC|newspaper=New York Post|date=March 3, 2022|access-date=March 6, 2022|archive-date=March 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305162619/https://nypost.com/2022/03/03/the-batman-made-me-feel-miserable-about-living-in-nyc/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====''Joker'' (2019) and ''Joker: Folie à Deux'' (2024)==== {{Main|Joker (2019 film)|Joker: Folie à Deux}}

''Joker'' director and producer Todd Phillips imagined Gotham as a "version of Gotham was the pre-'80s boom New York, or urban northeastern center, but not the iconic New York". When asked how he re-imagined the city, production designer Mark Friedberg stated, "our version of Gotham was what groomed him. It was both an appreciation for how severe things got in the city, but also for the world of possibility that lived in the version of that city."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/joker-gotham-production-designer-interview-mark-friedberg-69053/|title=The Design of 'Joker' Just Might Make You Sympathize With the Villain|date=2019-09-25|website=Backstage|language=en|access-date=2020-03-27|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327231403/https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/joker-gotham-production-designer-interview-mark-friedberg-69053/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film shot on location and used landmarks in New York City; Jersey City, New Jersey; and Newark, New Jersey. In ''Joker: Folie à Deux'', Gotham is explicitly stated to be in New York State.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/joker-2-confirms-gotham-city-real-world-location/|title=Joker: Folie à Deux Confirms Gotham City's Real-World Location|first=Manuel|last=Demegillo|date=October 1, 2024|website=CBR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thesunbreak.com/2024/10/03/joker-folie-a-deux-review/|title=Joker: Folie à Deux sends in the (sad, sociopathic, murderous) clowns|first=Chris|last=Burlingame|date=October 3, 2024|website=The SunBreak}}</ref>

====Animated films==== thumb|The Gotham City skyline in ''Batman: Gotham Knight'' (2008) {{Main|DC Animated Universe}}

During the events of the direct-to-video film ''Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero'' (1998), a computer screen displaying Barbara Gordon's personal information refers to her location as "Gotham City, NY", and displays her area code as 212 – a Manhattan area code.

The 2008 direct-to-DVD film ''Batman: Gotham Knight'' shows Gotham as a large city with many skyscrapers and a bustling population.

===Video games=== Gotham City appears in several video games, including ''Batman Begins'', ''DC Universe Online'', ''Gotham Knights'' and ''Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe''. The city makes another appearance in a video game with ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'', where the player can fight outside or inside Wayne Manor, on top of a building and in an alley. Other games that feature the city include the ''Lego Batman'' series, ''Lego Dimensions'', ''Lego DC Super-Villains'', and Rocksteady's ''Arkham'' franchise.

thumb|upright=1.4|Gotham City in ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' (2015) Gotham City appears as a location in the 2017 video game ''Fortnite Battle Royale'' as part of a crossover in commemoration of Batman's 80th anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/batman-glides-to-fortnite-on-batman-day|title=Batman Glides to Fortnite on Batman Day|date=2019-09-21|publisher=Epic Games|language=en|access-date=2021-02-25|archive-date=February 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226124644/https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/batman-glides-to-fortnite-on-batman-day|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the fourth incarnation of the game's iconic Tilted Towers area. Players are able to use the Batglider after falling from a great height, as long as they remain in the confines of Gotham City. The location was removed on October 13, 2019, during the game's "The End" live event, in which it was sucked into a Black Hole along with the rest of the ''Fortnite'' Chapter 1 Island.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Webster|first=Andrew|url=https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2019/10/13/20909812/fortnite-down-black-hole-chapter-2-the-end|title=Fortnite Has Been Down for Hours as Millions of Players Stare at Black Hole|date=October 13, 2019|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=February 25, 2021|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320185134/https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2019/10/13/20909812/fortnite-down-black-hole-chapter-2-the-end|url-status=live}}</ref> The assets used for Gotham City, devoid of any Batman branding, are featured in ''Fortnite Creative'' under the name "Dark Tilted".

====Batman: Arkham==== {{main|Batman: Arkham}}

''Batman: Arkham Asylum'' (2009) opens with Batman driving Joker from Gotham City to Arkham Asylum. Joker also threatens to detonate bombs across Gotham. In ''Batman: Arkham City'' (2011), the slums of Old Gotham City (the northern island) were converted into Arkham City. Inside the prison walls, this part of Gotham contains various landmarks throughout the story, like Penguin's Iceberg Lounge, the Ace Chemicals Plant, the Sionis Steel Mill, the Old Gotham City Police Department building, and the Monarch Theatre with the Wayne murder scene in Crime Alley. Most of these locations have major events in the story. In ''Batman: Arkham Origins'' (2013), an earlier, younger version of the city can be seen than that of other games in the ''Batman: Arkham'' series. In addition to the northern island, this installment in the series lets players explore a new southern island, connected to the former by the Pioneer's Bridge. The setting of ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' (2015), Central Gotham City, is five times larger than Old Gotham. The novelization for ''Batman: Arkham Knight'' revealed that Crime Alley was renamed Wayne Way months after the "death" of Batman.

== Notes == {{notelist}}

==References== ===General references=== * Brady, Matthew and Williams, Dwight. ''Daily Planet Guide to Gotham City''. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: West End Games under license from DC Comics, 2000. * Brown, Eliot. "''Gotham City Skyline''". ''Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000''. New York: DC Comics, 2000. * Grant, Alan. "''The Last Arkham''". ''Batman: Shadow of the Bat'' #1. New York: DC Comics, 1992. * Loeb, Jeph. ''Batman: The Long Halloween''. New York: DC Comics, 1997. * Miller, Frank. ''Batman: Year One''. New York: DC Comics, 1988. * Morrison, Grant. ''Arkham Asylum''. New York: DC Comics, 1990. * O'Neil, Dennis. "''Destroyer''". ''Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'' #27. New York: DC Comics, 1992.

===Inline citations=== {{reflist}}

Category:Gotham City Category:DC Comics islands Category:DC Comics populated places Category:Fictional populated places in New Jersey Category:Fictional story elements introduced in 1940