Gotham's Joker can't be called "The Joker" or have green hair because of the movies

By

·

May 17, 2018

Cameron Monaghan has been playing versions of The Joker on Gotham for several years now. He just became the "real" Joker at the end of season 4. But we'll never hear him be called "The Joker" or see him with his iconic green hair. Monaghan revealed why in a Twitter post this past week.

"Various hair tests. Pure green was off-limits to us (as well as the name "Joker"), a decision from high-up as they wanted to reserve these for films," Monaghan explained. "A decision which ultimately I respect. They did not want to dilute the very lucrative brand. It allowed for creativity on our end."

https://twitter.com/cameronmonaghan/status/995422386437570560

Warner Bros. hasn't been consistent with allowing their movie characters to be on TV. They famously made Arrow remove their version of the Suicide Squad and Deathstroke once there were plans for those characters in the movies. The Flash has his own TV series despite being in the movies, and even Superman has made appearances on Supergirl.

What do you think of the decision to keep the name "The Joker" and green hair away from Gotham? Let me know in the comments below.

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com

92 comments

IamTheOneWhoKnocks
May 17, 2018
This show needs to be canceled ASAP. What garbage...I'm glad they are not allowing any Joker marketing. My bet is they won't allow Batman either.
1. Mark
  May 17, 2018
  They're giving it one final season, probably 13 episodes, to finish it out and end with Bruce becoming Batman. Look for it in the winter or next spring.
2. Nick
  May 18, 2018
  This show should be erased from TV history alongside with all Arrowverse cr*p. Disgrace for DC and all the iconic characters!
  1. Obfuscatus
    May 18, 2018
    That's very funny since the movies disgrace the comics even more.
    1. Valen
      May 19, 2018
      It's funny that some fans are diehard into the original stories. Gotham is a prequel backstory only, not the Batman we have grown up used to. Even that has changed much over the years. Doubt the 1960's, bright lights, wild colors, no killing or even blood, ZAP-BANG--POW!, Adam West era would be well received today.
      Danny DeVito has been complimentary of Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin. Mark Hamill has been gracious towards Cameron' Monaghan's pseudo Joker. Jim Carrey praised Cory Michael Smith's Riddler. The acting on Gotham is no disgrace. Some fans need to take a chill pill. If one hates the show, don't watch. From some of the comments it seems people watch every week just to complain.
      1. Frank
        May 19, 2018
        I totally agree with you!
      2. Todd FarrAnd
        October 30, 2018
        Agreed
      3. Valen
        October 30, 2018
        This is an old story, but a goodie. Really think Gotham is under rated and could gain a cult following in syndication. Doubt they will ever do this but some two hour television movies with the cast would have a following. This show has had some good drama and a lot of dark comedy.
3. Nahuel Benvenuto
  May 18, 2018
  i will say it forever: the only, THE ONLY, live action show based in a comic book, that is not shit, is Daredevil (and Punisher is ok in the last half)
Stephen Speirs
May 17, 2018
This is why these series suffer their more than happy to allow multiple movie universes with variants of characters but dont allow them to ingress into the tv universe which is currently a more successive platform than the recent movie endeavours
They need to allow these characters to be named and develop to develop the brand for the character and dc as a whole
JaySilentBob
May 17, 2018
That's kinda lame, and sorta a diss to fans of the show. So they allow the character to be on the show, yet the show can't call him by his name? I really don't think it would have any more effect on the Joker brand negative or positive, because, I mean the character's already on there.
CitiZeN_KaNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 17, 2018
Who cares
Robert Palmar
May 17, 2018
By this logic of the higher-ups then the show's Bruce Wayne could never become "Batman".
Batking
May 17, 2018
Just goes to show that DC tv is a waste of time. They just try to have their cake and eat it too.
Mark
May 17, 2018
CHRIS, update with the followup Cameron posted about what it means to him to play the character at all. Very cool comment.
RandomShinigami7
May 17, 2018
So this might be me misremembering things, but remember back in 2014 when it was announced that the DCEU and the Arrowverse would be separate continuities? I swear the excuse given at the time was to allow both the TV shows and the films more creative freedom, avoiding potential plot holes and allowing one to do something without being tied to whatever the other is doing.
What happened to that? Arrow had a quick Harley Quin cameo at the end of season 2 but had to abandon plans for her, and had to kill off Deadshot and Waller, allegedly because they were told those characters were off limits. They also can't use Deathstroke as much as they want because he's now in the movies too. Now there's this. But Supergirl is allowed to use Superman and The Flash is still allowed to use Barry Allen as the main Flash.
So why was that "creative freedom" taken away pretty much immediately after announcing it? And why is there no consistency with who can't use what? Why is The Flash and Supergirl allowed to use movie characters, but Arrow has to remove some of its already established characters and Gotham can't even use a characters name?
1. StarTheory
  May 17, 2018
  Warner don't deserve these characters.
  1. FUN
    May 18, 2018
    Neither does Disney..
    1. StarTheory
      May 18, 2018
      Where in my comment did I mention Disney?
2. Mark
  May 17, 2018
  I still think that Arrow abandoning Harley Quinn had more to do with Gotham having exclusive rights than it did with the movies. I remember Berlanti or part of his team saying something like "we can't use Batman before Gotham does."
StarTheory
May 17, 2018
Maximum creative flexibility my ass.
Seb is a Socialist
May 17, 2018
its a dumb decision by idiot execs who think ppl are too stupid to tell the diference bw two universes. that being said gotham is a trash show with a stupid version of joker joining the ranks of geriatric villains. cameron monaghan has shown to be a great actor but his talents are wasted.
Dark Vador
May 17, 2018
Can these guys be that stupid ? What About Krypton who talks about Superman and the Flash tv show ?
Who the fuck cares ? If they wanna have the penguin or the riddler in the DCEU are they gonna change their names in Gotham ?
OptimistPrime99
May 17, 2018
https://uploads.disquscdn.c... It's just a part of the same fundamental problem, that's continued to hamper the DC live-action stuff. Those same anonymous WB executives, get to make random, illogical, and inconsistent decisions, that end up negatively impacting the DC brand. All of Batman's villains can be name-dropped on Gotham, except for the Joker?! WHY?! Who gets to make that stupid call? Kevin Tsujihara? Geoff Johns? Toby Emmerich? Hopefully the AT&T merger will "change things...forever". (Dark Knight Joker reference)
1. Mark
  May 17, 2018
  If you think that AT&T management is going to value creative consistency over maximizing profit potential, the joke's on you.
OptimistPrime99
May 17, 2018
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
1. Nightwing Fan J
  May 17, 2018
  Iconic
UltimateEdition
May 17, 2018
so saying the name joker is off limits but haley bary catwoman hair isn’t? (Picture number 3)... scary.
Nightwing Fan J
May 17, 2018
So Batwoman is joining the Arrowverse. That's pretty neat.
1. Nightwing Fan J
  May 17, 2018
  Oof... Yeah... That was really bad. And I hope they actually represent her sexuality in a respectful manner unlike other gay characters on the CW. Or not at all. Either is fine by me. Chances are there will be heavy gayness lol it is the CW after all... Anyway, what's most important to me is that she must be a strong leader and military. And of course, she must be a redhead. And for the love of God it better be a good actress.
  1. Nightwing Fan J
    May 17, 2018
    Sara was great on Arrow, but then she became a completely different person on Legends.
2. Hunter Zolomon
  May 17, 2018
  Is she? That's awesome providing they don't shit on her character.
  1. Nightwing Fan J
    May 17, 2018
    Fingers crossed...
  2. Nahuel Benvenuto
    May 18, 2018
    taking into account that Arrow (and Flash, and Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow, and etcetera) are shit, i doubt it
Daniel Dion
May 17, 2018
And yet the executives took a huge shit on the joker in suicide squad
1. Mike 201
  May 17, 2018
  And the Gotham Joker is sooooooo much better but we can’t call him Joker. What a laugh. What WB needs is an enema!!
2. Nahuel Benvenuto
  May 18, 2018
  we dont know that until the original complete cut by Ayer is released
Jay 87
May 17, 2018
hey anyone hear about batwoman being introduced in flash arrow crossover
ItzSilentStorm
May 17, 2018
That's why they shouldn't be making tv shows that have anything to do with the bigger characters in the first place if you ask me. Not while there is a cinematic universe going on at at least. Marvel does this right in my opinion. ONE actor for each character. Movies for the big stuff and shows for the smaller stuff. There are soooo many lesser known properties that don't necessarily need to be made into movies that would be great for a tv series. We do NOT need three different superman related shows. Jeez
Reverse_Flash
May 17, 2018
Hurry up and buy DC, Disney.
1. The Doctor
  May 17, 2018
  So Disney can be an even stronger monopoly over the world? No thanks. I'm all for WB losing DC but not to the company that practically owns everything else.
  1. Kouglof
    May 17, 2018
    He doesn't understand what monopoly is, he doesn't make the correlation between the quality of a product and competition either, for him monopoly is a board game.
    https://images-na.ssl-image...
    1. El Maybe
      May 17, 2018
      Perhaps you don't fully understand it either... Monopoly has almost become a naughty word, immediately causing bad reactions from whoever hears it. Can monopolies suck? Hell yes. Are they important and can occasionally be very advantageous for everyone? Also yes. They are always dangerous, but definitely not always bad.
      1. Reverse_Flash
        May 18, 2018
        Ding ding ding. We have a winner.
        Monopolies have pros and cons. But when it comes to movies you always have to aim for high quality, otherwise you'll get bad reception and lose money. There's no such thing as "hey, I own the market so I will make cheap crappy movies because I can". People can always go and watch another movie.
      2. El Maybe
        May 18, 2018
        Exactly.
    2. Reverse_Flash
      May 18, 2018
      "He doesn't understand what monopoly is"
      I do, and it doesn't work the way you think in the movie industry.
      "he doesn't make the correlation between the quality of a product and competition either"
      List all the direct competitors for Infinity War and Black Panther. Two high quality Marvel movies released this year.
      Go :)
      1. Kouglof
        May 20, 2018
        "List all the direct competitors for Infinity War and Black Panther. Two high quality Marvel movies released this year."
        Avengers (team-up movies) => X-Men
        Black Panther (leader role with rarely used category of people) => Wonder Woman
      2. Reverse_Flash
        May 21, 2018
        X-Men? What X-Men? First Class?
        You think First Class put pressure on The Avengers? lol
        Wonder Woman put pressure on Black Panther because lead black equals lead woman? lmao
        Let me guess, GotG was pushed by Star Wars and Doctor Strange by Kazaam, lmao.
        And what was Titanic's competition? And Gladiator, The Godfather, E.T, Schindler's List, Forrest Gump's? Surely all those great movies must have been competing with other movies.
        Dude you're 100% clueless about how the movie industry works. It's hilarious.
      3. Kouglof
        May 21, 2018
        "X-Men? What X-Men? First Class?"
        How many X-Men reboot do you know? I am talking about 20th Century Fox's X-Men.
        "Wonder Woman put pressure on Black Panther because lead black equals lead woman? lmao"
        https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
        "And what was Titanic's competition? And Gladiator, The Godfather, E.T,
        Schindler's List, Forrest Gump's?"
        It's funny because all I see here are really famous director names: James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Steven Spielberg (again), Robert Zemeckis... they made such great superhero movies... wait no, those are not superhero movies, you just picked some of the most popular movie of all time for no reason and put them here in order to prove something you don't even know.
        "Dude you're 100% clueless about how the movie industry works. It's hilarious."
        Oh I'm sorry, I completely forgot you had a PhD in movie industry, because you copy/past competition numbers in all the articles... don't cry man...
        https://jokideo.com/wp-cont...
      4. Reverse_Flash
        May 22, 2018
        "How many X-Men reboot do you know?"
        We aren't even talking about reboots in this argument, that was another subject, we're talking about monopolies here, lol.
        And now you're making excuses that only great directors can make great movies without competition and that it only applies in superhero movies? Keep moving the goalposts, lol. But don't worry, there are countless of great movies out there that didn't have high profile directors and they were not competing with any other movies. Hopefully you'll be smart enough to figure that out (or not).
        The fact that you think The Avengers were competing with X-Men movies says it all (go ahead and prove it if you can).
        The ignorance is strong with you.
        Cheers.
      5. Kouglof
        May 22, 2018
        It was a rhetorical and you knew it, because I've answered to my own question just after. Why 20th Century Fox's X-Men can't be considered as competition for Disney's MCU? Aren't they making business when Deadpool's producers ask for changing Negasonic Teenage Warhead's powers in exchange of MCU using Ego in GotG2?
        Why were you talking about the great directors? Did they direct movies in one of the big three franchises like the X-Menverse, DCEU or MCU? What was your point with them? You're off-topic, congratulations.
        You = boring.as.hell
      6. Reverse_Flash
        May 22, 2018
        "Why 20th Century Fox's X-Men can't be considered as competition for Disney's MCU?"
        -Because X-Men movies have very different premises
        -Because X-Men movies are marketed as Marvel movies too
        -Because historically, they don't compete with each other.
        -Because the first X-Men predates The Avengers by 12 years and the last X-Men movie before The Avengers was First Class (2011), and it was a movie with mild success.
        Deadpool is an R rated movie. It doesn't compete with MCU movies in any way, unless it's at the box office due to close release dates, like we're seeing now.
        Highl profile directors are irrelevant to this subject. That's just you pushing the goalposts as usual. Fact is, studios often make great movies without the mindset of competing with other movies (unless it's at the BO due to close release dates). More often than not, studios try to make good movies because good movies can make them more money, not because they're worried about other studios making better movies.
        That's why your monopoly argument is so dumb. Marvel can own all the superheros, but if they make movies as bad as F4 they won't be successful. They need quality to make money. Look at the DCEU. They have a gigantic market and they just bombed. See why quality is not optional in the movie industry?
        Much to learn you have, young Padawan.
  2. Reverse_Flash
    May 18, 2018
    Why? Are you a fan or studio shareholder?
    Disney = top entertainment company. If Disney owns DC, fans win. It's that simple.
    1. The Doctor
      May 18, 2018
      No it’s not that simple. Media consolidation is a bad thing. If you’re a director, actor, screenwriter, etc. a company like Disney owning the rights to all or most major film and tv franchises is a nightmare. That signicantly limits an artists options to find projects to work on, get a project financed or off the ground, or ultimately have any kind of a career. If Disney has high percentage of ownership in the industry than they set the rules, parameters, and basically become an Autocracy over the entire Media world. That’s called globalization which tends to have lasting effects for years and years. But hey fuck the world right? As long as this douche bag gets to see Batman fight Black Panther in some crossover event.
      1. Reverse_Flash
        May 18, 2018
        But you're not a director, actor or screenwriter, are you? So what's the problem if at the end you're going to enjoy higher quality movies?
        Directors, actors and screenwtriers were fine before CBM's, and they will be fine if Disney owns them. There are plenty of other genres and studios they can work with.
        Owning major comic book companies is far from owning "most major film and tv franchises". They'd be ruling the superhero genre, just like they ruled the animated film genre.
      2. The Doctor
        May 18, 2018
        I don't have to work in the industry to realize how bad of an idea it is for Disney to have that sort of power grip over it. I get it, you don't look at the bigger picture or maybe you do see it and just don't care. Also being completely forthcoming about all of this I'm against the Fox deal as well, not because I have a hate hard on for Disney (I don't I actually quite enjoy the MCU films) but because that gives a piece of shit person like Rupert Murdoch billions more to play with and ultimately influence more bodies of power around the world.
        No it's not owning the media world, but it's a stepping stone towards that. That's how all giant bodies of power start, stepping stones, baby steps. Media consolidation, globalization, autocracies, all these things aren't instantaneous, but if they happen it's severely dangerous for the world when one organization controls so much. This is why governments all over the world have checks and balances systematically preventing a lot of big business mergers, solely for this reason. But your average comic book fan doesn't think about that, they just want better and bigger Batman movies.
        Fuck everything else.
      3. Reverse_Flash
        May 18, 2018
        I think you're exaggerating. It's just DC movies I'm talking about. The film industry will be just fine. The superhero genre was dead 20 years ago. DC movies were dead, Marvel was non existant and the industry was fine. I'm not saying they should buy WB.
        Behemoths like Disney always devour the smaller companies. That's unevitable. If they don't buy DC they will buy another company. It makes no difference. So we might as well get higher quality films.
      4. The Doctor
        May 18, 2018
        I'm not exaggerating, these are things I think about, things that really do happen in the world. Am I predicting Disney is going to ultimately rule the media world someday? No I'm not. I am not Nostradamus, and I'm not a conspiracy theorist. But when a large company keeps purchasing large bodies of media content that concerns me. And I think people are foolish not to be concerned about a large organization like Disney growing like it is.
        By definition it is not a monopoly, but it could be if things like this fox deal or this hypothetical DC deal keep taking place. Media controls the worlds perspective, and money controls the world. When you have both you are virtually untouchable. Anyways world and political views aside, I would wager if WB ever sold DC it wouldn't be to the mouse house who is there biggest competitor.
      5. Reverse_Flash
        May 19, 2018
        I disagree. I don't see the big deal. Most industries have a monster company. I don't think buying DC would make any difference. The movie industry is too big even for Disney.
        But you already made up your mind, so we won't agree.
2. Nahuel Benvenuto
  May 18, 2018
  not really, disney does not makes good movies, they ruined (which was not that good to begin with) SW, and it took them TEN YEARS to make ONE decent Marvel movie (Infinity War) a movie that is far from perfect by the way
  1. Reverse_Flash
    May 19, 2018
    You're still in denial. How adorable.
kan
May 17, 2018
This "new" joker, the recent twin made into "Joker" is horrible, boring. Thankfully this whole show will be gone soon.
Iss
May 17, 2018
Stupidity
Hunter Zolomon
May 17, 2018
It puzzles me how they have these restrictions yet Barry Allen has his own TV show and Superman popped up in Supergirl for a few episodes. General Zod is even in Krypton as a main character and freaking Doomsday made a cameo so why restrict CW with Deathstroke or Gotham with Joker? WB/DC just make no sense.
1. Godspeed
  May 17, 2018
  well Zod and Doomsday at least can be explained by the fact that the movies are done with those characters. while there are plans for Deathstroke and Joker on film. I hate this and its bullshit but at least I can understand the reasoning here.
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    May 17, 2018
    What pisses me off with Deathstroke is its clear his story wasn't finished in Arrow but thanks to this bullshit they can't finish it, a Deathstroke film won't happen for at least another 2 years maybe more so really does it matter if Arrow finished off his story in S6 or S7? Same goes for Gotham with Joker, its ending next Season and by the time this Joker film happens its finished so why not let them call him Joker and have him have green hair? Like i've said their logic is shit. End of the day their reasoning falls apart when right now there are two Barry Allen's on screen with the show and films what exist with no problems.
Wazzapova
May 17, 2018
I guess he’ll be asking “Do you want to know how I got these marks left on my skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely and fibrous connective tissue has developed?” as well.
The Doctor
May 17, 2018
Absurd. WB Executives are like 8-year-olds who refuse to let others into their toy box.
AnonymousHero
May 17, 2018
So stupid! DC has been using multiple universes on-screen and telling their stories any way they choose. So who gives a flying flip if Monaghan has green hair and is called Joker in Gotham? That won't hurt the Joker brand! Like of all of a sudden, we the fans aren't going to see a Batman or Joker film because of Monaghan's portrayal of the character on TV? Idiots.
The Joker is a brand incarnation that fans and causal moviegoers know worldwide. Cameron Monaghan won't hurt the character if you call him Joker and give him green hair. He's become one of the best parts about the show and plays up the persona of Joker very well.
If DC is that concerned over at Fox, why aren't they that concerned over at CW where they are butchering DC character portrayals all over the place? SMH
Why are morons running my beloved comic book franchise??
1. AnonymousHero
  May 18, 2018
  But it hasn't turned me off completely from Solomon Grundy. They make it seem like they are making and breaking these characters with this TV show and it is not that serious.
2. Nahuel Benvenuto
  May 18, 2018
  i find interesting that even the actor say that about diluting teh brand, are those people actually conscious that they are making a bad show?
Dennis Berkhout
May 17, 2018
I don't understand why the green hair is off limits. I mean, people are not thick. Jerome and Jeremiah are clearly versions of the Joker, so preventing the green hair won't fool anyone. I would let Gotham use the full Joker look at least because it can get more people excited to see more of the character in general.
Valen
May 17, 2018
Well, I love Gotham. The focus of Jim Gordon and a pre-Batman Bruce Wayne has made for a good backstory. I have been watching the show all four years and was able to stay with it, unlike when I used to watch Flash and got tired of it. We all have our tastes. Guess I don't mind the 13 episodes, but wish they were sooner. Hope the series wraps as a two-parter with some pizzaz.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
1. Valen
  May 19, 2018
  The show is titled Gotham, not Batman. You don't have to endure anything. You seem to hate the series so much that you have to watch it every week to complain about it. Stop watching and let the one's who do watch the final 15 episodes and syndication.
Mike 201
May 17, 2018
What a Joke, no pun intended!!! What is WB thinking with this? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a friggen duck!!! Come on Penguin, Riddler, Raz, Hugo, Mr. Freeze, Scarecrow, but no Joker. Camron is GREAT in this role and is killing it. He has brought much needed life to this show and WB says no Joker. I can see why our DC characters are getting their ass’s kicked in all live action by Marval. What a shame!!!!!
Godspeed
May 17, 2018
Another perfect example of WBs endless stupidity that makes zero sense. Why do they allow some characters to be in the films and TV shows why insist that others have to be removed or can not even be named ? Especially if movie and TV universes are SEPERATE. It just makes no fucking sense. I mean what is the point of keeping universes seperate if they don't have maximum creative freedom ?
God I hate Warner with such a fire.
Godspeed
May 17, 2018
the creators said Jerome is not the Joker and he never was. This is his brother Jeremiah and they never said that he is not the Joker. Pay attention
1. Odinsbeard
  May 18, 2018
  Actually the creators of the show just recently came out and claimed neither, Jerome or Jeremiah are The Joker but merely inspirations for the person who will become The Joker (who is apparently somewhere in Gotham.) It is sounds more like back tracking because they couldn't use "The Joker" title or the iconic hair.

Browse By Topic

Browse By Year

Browse By Author

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com