Speaking of the project at the 2014 winter TCA press tour, Fox president Kevin Reilly described the series as "this operatic soap that has a slightly larger-than-life quality. Danny Cannon was later hired as director for the project. In September of 2013, Fox bypassed the traditional pilot phase and placed a straight-to-series order for Gotham, written and executive produced by Bruno Heller ( Rome, The Mentalist). Milo Ventimiglia as Jason Skolimski (3 episodes).Dash Mihok as Arnold Flass (3 episodes).Nicholas D'Agosto as Harvey Dent (3 episodes).Danny Mastrogiorgio as Frankie Carbone (3 episodes).Krista Braun as Jennifer Luree (3 episodes).Peter Scolari as Gillian Loeb (4 episodes).Anthony Carrigan as Victor Zsasz (4 episodes).Carol Kane as Gertrud Kapelput (6 episodes).Richard Kind as Aubrey James (6 episodes).Chelsea Spack as Kristin Kringle (8 episodes).Morena Baccarin as Leslie Thompkins (9 episodes).David Zayas as Salvatore Maroni (11 episodes).Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean (14 episodes).(Must have 3 or more episode appearances) Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney (19 episodes).John Doman as Carmine Falcone (10 episodes).Andrew Stewart Jones as Crispus Allen (6 episodes).Victoria Cartagena as Renee Montoya (7 episodes).Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma (18 episodes).Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle (17 episodes).Erin Richards as Barbara Kean (15 episodes).Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot (22 episodes).Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth (20 episodes).Zabryna Guevara as Sarah Essen (18 episodes).David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne (20 episodes).Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock (22 episodes).Ben McKenzie as James Gordon (22 episodes).Eventually, Gordon is forced to form an unlikely friendship with Bruce, one that will help shape the boy's future in becoming the Dark Knight.
Along the way, Gordon must confront gang boss Fish Mooney, as well as many of Gotham's future villains, such as Selina Kyle and Oswald Cobblepot. During his investigation, Gordon meets the Waynes' son, Bruce, now in the care of his butler Alfred, which further compels Gordon to catch the killer. A new recruit in Captain Sarah Essen's Gotham City Police Department, Detective James Gordon is paired with Harvey Bullock to solve one of Gotham's most high-profile cases ever: the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne.