The Batman hasn’t even finished filming yet and already, the expectations and hype are high for Matt Reeves’ movie. So high, in fact, that it was announced today that Reeves is already busy developing a spinoff series based on the Gotham City Police Department for HBO Max.

According to the news, the series will be spearheaded by both Reeves and Terrence Winter (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire). Considering that, it appears this series will be a grittier, darker take on the Gotham PD. The series, which is to be written by Winter, will be set in the world Reeves is creating with The Batman as an “examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City.”

There has been quite a bit of talk in recent months, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and rising awareness across the U.S. of rampant police brutality and corruption, that Hollywood needs to reexamine its relationship with law enforcement. Not only are studios and networks reframing their working relationships with law enforcement in regard to on-set security, but also in terms of how and how often police are portrayed in media as arguably the most-depicted profession in entertainment. It’s fair to question if we need or should be getting another cop drama right now, especially with Fox’s Gotham series already existing. But with Winter writing and he and Reeves overseeing the project, there’s arguably an opportunity here to dive deep into the way corruption infiltrates and shapes a police department. It’s a future hinted at in Reeves’ official statement about the project:

“This is an amazing opportunity, not only to expand the vision of the world I am creating in the film, but to explore it in the kind of depth and detail that only a longform format can afford — and getting to work with the incredibly talented Terence Winter, who has written so insightfully and powerfully about worlds of crime and corruption, is an absolute dream.”

The plan, according to the press release, is to launch “a new Batman universe” across multiple platforms. HBO Max chief content officer, Kevin Reilly, added, “This is Batman as most audiences have never seen before and we know fans will want to spend more time in this new world inspired by the film.” It’s hard to imagine how The Batman and this upcoming series will offer us something completely new considering the live-action and animated movies, live-action and animated TV series, and video games based on Batman and the world of Gotham that exist already. Still, it’s always interesting to see creatives try something new, and if anyone can offer us something fresh with this series, it’s Reeves and Winter.

The Batman hits theaters on October 1, 2021. Add The Batman to Your Watchlist.