About four months ago, Fox announced that they were developing ‘Gotham’, a new sort of superhero show that examines various characters from Batman’s mythology prior to the first appearance of the Caped Crusader. While a young Bruce Wayne is set to appear in the series, at the center of if all will be Detective James Gordon, the future Gotham PD commissioner and ally of the Dark Knight in his fight against crime. Now, we finally have a face to attach to the name as the network has found the star to lead the project directly to series.

According to sources, the production found their leading man in Southern California as Ben McKenzie of ‘The O.C.’ and ‘Southland’ has landed the part of Jim Gordon in this origin story for one of the most popular corners of the DC Universe. In the show, Gordon is described as “an idealistic rookie detective for Gotham City Open Police Department’s Homicide Squad, a former college football star, and a war hero”.

Based on his TV career that has found him constantly collaborating with Fox, McKenzie is no stranger to the sort of things that will be required of him in the role as Detective Gordon. In his role as Officer Ben Sherman, he got some great experience as a cop, and then, thanks to his run on the beloved teen drama, he’s got that youthful naiveté covered. Plus, he’s no stranger to DC Comics or Batman because he lent his voice to the world’s greatest detective in Warner Home Video’s ‘Batman: Year One’, an adaptation of Frank Miller’s acclaimed comic.

What do you think about Ben McKenzie taking the role of Detective Jim Gordon in ‘Gotham’? How will fare against the likes of budding supervillains such as the Riddler, Catwoman, the Joker, and the Penguin? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Source: Deadline