As a crime drama set in the pre-Batman era, Fox's "Gotham" spent much of its first season laying the groundwork for the young Bruce Wayne to eventually create his caped alter-ego. The show has depicted the murder of Bruce's parents, the corruption of Gotham and the GCPD, the rise of numerous larger-than-life villains and the arrival of a number of father figures that will ignite Bruce's heroic spirit. One development that could speed up Bruce's costumed destiny occurred in the season one finale when he discovered his father's secret lair, a room many viewers speculate will ultimately serve as the famous Batcave.
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Fourteen-year-old actor David Mazouz, who plays Bruce Wayne, spoke with the press during roundtable interviews at Comic-Con International in San Diego about his character's journey in season two, the introduction of Chris Chalk as Lucius Fox, potential conflict with Camren Bicondova's Selina Kyle and adopting Batman's distinct voice. Mazouz also opened up about teaming up with Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and forging that iconic bond with Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee).
CBR News: How did finding that secret room in the season one finale push Bruce towards becoming Batman?
David Mazouz: Finding that room, that very last scene in the season finale, is going to be a turning point. It's going to change everything in Bruce's life. It's going to turn the page to a different chapter in every aspect of his life into becoming Batman. What I mean, for example, is the Bruce and Alfred relationship. In season one, they were butting heads a lot. They were constantly disagreeing about things. In season two, because of that cave, they are going to go through a really rocky patch at the beginning. Once they get through it, they are really going to start becoming a team, like the Alfred/Batman relationship when they are older. They are really going to start becoming a team.
Lucius Fox is going to come to the show, which I'm super excited about. Chris Chalk is hilarious and a really fun guy to be around. Season two is really going to be the transformation of Bruce Wayne to Batman. Last year, Bruce Wayne was grieving. He was determined, but he was just determined to find out what happened to his parents. He was determined to know who his dad was and what Wayne Enterprises was, but he wasn't Batman. In Season two, Bruce is going to be Batman. His transformation is going to be huge in season two. I'm so stoked.
What exactly will Bruce be doing that viewers will potentially recognize as "Batman moments"?
There are multiple things. When Batman is Batman, he has his Batman persona and his detective persona and he has his public persona, his party boy, playboy persona to make the public think there's no way Bruce Wayne could be Batman. In Season two, Bruce Wayne is going to be developing that second persona. That's one way.
Another way in Season two is you are going to start to see the villains shift from a mobster-type of villain hierarchy to a super-villain hierarchy. Those are the villains who are going to be taking over. Penguin is at the threshold right now, but he's going to meet people that are ten times worse. Since the villain threat is going to be so immense, and there's so few of us [good guys] on the show, we're really going to have to team up. So you are going to see Gordon and Bruce together a lot more. Because of that, Bruce is going to get out more. I think last year I only worked with three of the series regulars and there's fifteen of them. I'm really excited for Season two. Gordon is going to start that mentorship that we talked about this whole time. They are going to become closer and, because of that relationship, Bruce is going to start becoming more involved in the crime world.
In becoming Batman, how is that going to affect Bruce's relationship with Selina?
It will change it. I don't really know too much about that. I know Bruce doesn't really know what she's been up to. And if he did, he would disprove. When she killed Reggie, he stopped talking to her for a little bit. Kinda. He needed her after that. If he had a choice, he would stop talking to her for a little bit. Bruce and Selena have a certain chemistry that is unbreakable. For some reason, they both like each other. Whether that's in a brother/sister way, a friend way or a romantic way, there's something between them that's never going to change. They might go through rocky patches -- I know that some of that is going to happen this season -- but they are always going to end up back together somehow.
Will Bruce practice his Batman voice this season?
No, my voice has to get a little deeper before that. [laughs]
"Gotham's" second season debuts on Fox on September 21.