 Bruce Wayne
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| Show Description | |
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Genre |
Superhero |
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Created By |
Tim McCanlies |
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Starring |
Jason Momoa |
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Opening Theme |
"Welcome to My Nightmare" by Alice Cooper |
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No. of Seasons |
7 |
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No. of Episodes |
152 |
| Production | |
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Running Time |
42 minutes |
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Production Company(s) |
Tollin/Robbins Productions |
| Broadcast | |
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Original Channel |
The WB (2001-06) |
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Original Run |
October 16, 2001-May 15, 2008 |
| [Source] | |
It's an enormous task, perhaps even a hopeless one...to attempt to explain why a man, this man, finally saw no recourse, no other way open to him but to finally put on... a mask.
- Alfred Pennyworth, Unaired pilot
Bruce Wayne is an American Superhero television series developed by Tim McCanlies, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar, and based on the DC Comics character Batman created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. The series, initially broadcast by The WB, premiered on October 16, 2001. After the fifth season, The WB and UPN merged to form The CW, the series' later United States broadcaster. Bruce Wayne, which ended its seventh and final season on May 15, 2008, follows the title character in the fictional city of Gotham, before he becomes the Caped Crusader. The first three seasons focus on Bruce as a young adult, as he attempts to investigate the death of his parents, find his purpose, and adjust to life in the crime ridden city of Gotham. After season three, the series ventures into the beginning of his life as a crime fighting vigilante, whilst also maturing, and furthering the characters of his allies, and rogue’s gallery. In addition, the show would feature other heroes and villains from the wider DC universe, including Clark Kent and Diana Prince.
Series overview[]
| Season | Episodes | First
aired |
Last
aired |
Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | October 16, 2001 | May 21, 2002 | The WB |
| 2 | 23 | September 24, 2002 | May 20, 2003 | |
| 3 | 22 | October 1, 2003 | May 19, 2004 | |
| 4 | 22 | September 22, 2004 | May 18, 2005 | |
| 5 | 22 | September 29, 2005 | May 11, 2006 | |
| 6 | 22 | September 28, 2006 | May 17, 2007 | The CW |
| 7 | 20 | September 27, 2007 | May 15, 2008 |
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Cast and Characters[]
Main[]
- Jason Momoa as Bruce Wayne (Seasons 1-7)
The orphan son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, and heir to the Wayne fortune. Shawn Ashmore played Bruce in the unaired pilot, but was unable to stay for the series owing to contractual commitments to the X-Men film series.
- Sean Astin as James Gordon (Seasons 1-7)
A detective in the Gotham City Police Department, and one of the few clean cops in Gotham. He is the widowed father of Barbara Gordon.
- Zoe Saldaña as Selina Kyle (Seasons 1-5, guest for Seasons 6-7)
A thief and "consultant" for many shady figures in Gotham's underworld.
- Pedro Pascal as Harvey Dent (Seasons 1-7)
A rising young lawyer, and old friend of Bruce. He is afflicted by sharp mood swings.
- Michael Ealy as Lucius Fox (Seasons 1-7)
A WayneCorp intern, and tech expert.
- Emilie de Ravin as Susan Dent (Season 1; guest star in Season 2)
Harvey's sister, and Bruce's initial love interest.
- Iain Glen as Alfred Pennyworth (Seasons 1-7)
The English butler for the Wayne Family, Alfred is a close parental figure to Bruce, and his staunchest ally in his war on crime.
- Adam West as Charles Walker Palantine III (Seasons 1-3; guest star in Season 4)
Head of the board of directors at WayneCorp, who aims to take over the company from Bruce. He has ties to Gotham's criminal organisation. West had previously starred as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the 1960s Batman TV series.
- Willie Garson as Oswald Cobblepot (Recurring in Seasons 1-2; main for Seasons 3-7)
An aide to Rupert Thorne who vies for control of Gotham's criminal underworld.
- Emma Roberts (Seasons 1-2) and Allison Scagliotti (Seasons 3-7) as Barbara Gordon
The daughter of James Gordon. Like her father, she has an idealistic nature, and a passion for justice. She possesses strong computer hacking skills.
- Joanne Kelly as Vicki Vale (Recurring for Season 1; main for Seasons 2-3; guest for Seasons 4-7)
A young TV gossip reporter, who later becomes romantically involved with Bruce.
- Alan Tudyk as Jack Napier (Guest for Seasons 1-6; main in Season 7)
A neurotic, aggressive standup comedian with psychopathic tendencies.
- Burt Ward as Robert Gordon (Recurring for Season 3; main for Seasons 4-5)
James Gordon's father, a decorated police officer turned lawyer, and mayoral opponent of Hamilton Hill. He is an old foe of Charles Palantine. Ward had previously portrayed Dick Grayson/Robin in the 1960s Batman series.
- Mark Hamill as Hamilton Hill (Guest in Season 1, recurring for Seasons 2-4; main in Season 5)
Gotham's corrupt mayor, under the thumb of Thorne. Hamill had previously voiced the Joker in various media.
- Oded Fehr as Ra's al Ghul (Guest for Season 4; main for Season 5)
A mysterious new arrival on Gotham's criminal scene. He is ultimately revealed to be the leader of The League of Assassins.
- Dave Bautista as Bane (Season 6)
A mysterious mercenary, determined to take control of Gotham.
- TBA as Dick Grayson (Season 7)
A young orphaned circus performer who gets taken under Bruce's wing.
Recurring[]
- Eric Roberts as Rupert Thorne (Seasons 1-2)
A corrupt politician, and one of the lead figures in Gotham's world of organised crime.
- Dennis Farina as Carmine Falcone (Recurring in Seasons 1-3; guest star for Seasons 4-6)
The head of the long lived Falcone crime family.
- TBA as Roman Sionis (Seasons 3-6)
A former businessman turned crime boss.
- Neal McDonough as Arnold Flass (Seasons 1-3)
A lieutenant in the GCPD, and one its most corrupt officers. He is a longtime informant for Carmine Falcone. He becomes commissioner following the death of Gill Loeb.
- Ray Wise as Gill Loeb (Season 1)
The corrupt commissioner of the GCPD.
- Stephen Lang as Slade Wilson (Seasons 1-2)
A highly skilled and experienced assassin.
- Ethan Suplee as Harvey Bullock (Seasons 1-4, 7)
A young GCPD cop, slovenly and cynical, he is nonetheless a determined and tenacious asset to the force. He is initially partnered with Rupert Montoya, and later his daughter Renee.
- Luis Guzmán as Rupert Montoya (Seasons 1-3)
A veteran member of the GCPD.
- Robert Englund as Jonathan Crane (Seasons 2-7)
A sinister psychology professor.
- Jeffrey Combs as Edward Nygma (Seasons 3-4, 7)
A disturbed con artist, he harbours a deep taste for riddles.
- Christina Ricci as Harleen Quinzel (Guest for Seasons 3-4; recurring in Season 7)
A psychology student, who develops an obsession with comedian Jack Napier.
- Rosario Dawson as Renee Montoya (Seasons 3-7)
Rupert Montoya's daughter, a rookie at the GCPD. She gets partnered with Bullock, following her father's death at the hands of Rupert Thorne.
- Kate Mara as Pamela Isley (Seasons 4-7)
A brilliant botanist, with questionable views regarding the environment.
- Terry Crews as Waylon Jones (Seasons 5-7)
A cannibalistic criminal with a severe form of ichthyosis, which gives him the appearance of a crocodile.
- TBA as Victor Fries (Seasons 5-7)
A gifted scientist specialising in cryogenics, who was forced to turn to crime after his beloved wife Nora came down with a rare disease.
- Tim Curry as Basil Karlo (Recurring in Seasons 4-6; guest in season 7)
A former horror movie actor.
- Colm Feore as Hugo Strange (Seasons 3, 4; guest in season 6)
The unscrupulous head psychologist at Arkham Asylum.
- Lisa Bonet as Leslie Thompkins (Recurring in Seasons 1, 3-4; guest in Seasons 2, 5, 7)
A physician and charitable activist. She was a friend and confidant to Thomas Wayne, who had considered making her Bruce's godmother.
Guest[]
- Colin Hanks as Clark Kent (Seasons 1, 3, 7)
A mild mannered young journalist from Smallville, Kansas, who seems to be more than he appears.
- Julie Newmar as Betty Kane (Seasons 1-2)
The mother of Martha Wayne, and the matriarch of the Kane family. Newmar had previously appeared as Selina Kyle in the 1960s Batman TV series.
- Danny Trejo as Ted Grant (Seasons 1, 4, 7)
A world-class heavyweight boxer. When Bruce was a boy, Grant trained him in the art of fighting and self defence, helping him to hone his strength.
- Mark Dacascos as Richard Dragon (Season 1, 3)
A mysterious martial artist. He teaches Bruce agility and more refined, subtle fighting techniques.
- Joe Mantegna as Giovani "John" Zatara (Seasons 1-4)
An expert illusionist who mentors Bruce in the art of escapology.
- Morena Baccarin as Diana Prince (Seasons 2, 4, 6)
An enigmatic Greek history student.
- Lou Diamond Phillips as Vic Sage (Seasons 2, 5, 6)
An investigative journalist, and conspiracy nut.
- TBA as Joe Chill (Season 3)
A hired gun who murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne on the orders of Rupert Thorne.
- Ginnifer Goodwin as Zatanna Zatara (Season 3, 4, 6)
Zatara's daughter, a skilled stage magician and former childhood friend to Bruce.
- David Anders as Oliver Queen (Season 5-6)
A mysterious billionaire from Starling City, who wishes to partner with Wayne Enterprises.
- TBA as Jason Todd (Season 7)
A trouble young boy who lives with his drug addicted parents.
- TBA as Nora Fries (Season 5-7)
The beloved wife of Victor Fries who was frozen in cryogenic sleep because of her rare disease.
- TBA as Jervis Tetch (Season 5-7)
A deeply disturbed young man with an obsession with hats and Alice in Wonderland.
- Kevin Conroy as Thomas Wayne
A billionaire, physician, and philanthropist. He was the husband of Martha, and father of Bruce. Conroy has frequently voiced Batman in various media.
- Arleen Sorkin as Martha Wayne
A socialite and activist. She was the wife of Thomas, and mother of Bruce. Sorkin had previously originated the role of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series. For the initial flashback sequences of their murder in the pilot episodes, she and Thomas were played by uncredited extras.
Production[]
Development[]
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Crew changes[]
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Filming[]
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Music[]
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Broadcasting[]
Bruce Wayne premiered at 9:00 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2001 on The WB. For the next four seasons the series aired on The WB, moving from Tuesday at 9:00 pm to Wednesday at 8:00 pm and eventually to Thursday at 8:00 pm. In 2006, before the start of Bruce Wayne's sixth season, it was announced The WB and UPN would merge into The CW and the network reported that the series would continue in its lineup. During its seventh and final season, the series aired in Canada a day earlier than it did in the United States. Syndication rights became available in October 2004 when it began airing alongside Gilmore Girls on ABC Family (now Freeform) five nights a week. After the series concluded, TNT began airing episodes on October 3, 2008. Bruce Wayne began streaming on Hulu on October 1, 2016.
Reception[]
Nielsen rankings[]
| Season | Timeslot
(ET) |
Network | Episodes | First aired
- Date |
First aired -
Viewers (millions) |
Last aired -
Date |
Last aired -Viewers
(millions) |
TV season | Viewership
rank |
Avg. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuesday
9/8c |
The WB | 21 | October 16, 2001 | May 21, 2002 | 2001-02 | ||||
| 2 | 23 | September 24, 2002 | May 20, 2003 | 2002-03 | ||||||
| 3 | Wednesday
8/7c |
22 | October 1, 2003 | May 19, 2004 | 2003-04 | |||||
| 4 | 22 | September 22, 2004 | May 18, 2005 | 2004-05 | ||||||
| 5 | Thursday
8/7c |
22 | September 29, 2005 | May 11, 2006 | 2005-06 | |||||
| 6 | The CW | 22 | September 28, 2006 | May 17, 2007 | 2006-07 | |||||
| 7 | 20 | September 27, 2007 | May 15, 2008 | 2007-08 |
Accolades[]
During its seven seasons, Bruce Wayne won awards ranging from Emmys to Teen Choice Awards. In 2002, the series won an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for its pilot episode. Four years later, it received an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for the fifth-season episode "Election". In 2008, Smallville again won an Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series Emmy for season seven's "Riddler".
Bruce Wayne has received a number of Leo Awards. Make-up artist Natalie Cosco won two Leo Awards for Best Make-Up: for her work in the fourth-season episode "Scarecrow" and in the sixth season's "Bane" and "Arrow". At the 2006 Leo Awards, Barry Donlevy won Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series for his work on the fourth-season episode "Ivy" and David Wilson won Best Production Design in a Dramatic Series for "Sacred". Bruce Wayne sixth season won a Best Dramatic Series Leo. James Marshall won Best Direction for "Firefly", Caroline Cranstoun won Best Costume Design for her work on "Bane" and James Philpott won Best Production Design for "Brotherhood". In 2008, Bruce Wayne won Leos for Best Dramatic Series and Best Cinematography. The visual-effects team was recognized for its work on the pilot with a 2002 Best Visual Effects Leo, and received 2004 VES Awards for Outstanding Compositing in a Televised Program, Music Video or Commercial for the second season's "Wake" and Outstanding Matte Painting in a Televised Program, Music Video, or Commercial for "Cobblepot".
The American Society of Cinematographers awarded David Moxness for the sixth season's "Arrow", giving Glen Winter the same award the following year for his work on "Grayson". Series regulars have also won awards; in 2001, Pedro Pascal won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Jason Momoa won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout TV Star — Male in 2002. Allison Scagliotti won the Teen Choice Best Sidekick award in 2006 and 2007, and in 2009 Momoa received the Choice TV Actor Action Adventure award.
Other media[]
Literature[]
Comic books[]
Promotional tie-ins[]
Home media[]
Seasons one through seven have been released on DVD in Regions 1, 2 and 4. Seasons six and seven were also released in the HD DVD format on November 28, 2007 and September 18, 2008, respectively. Seasons five, six and seven have been released for Blu-ray. The DVD releases include the original unaired pilot, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes and commentary by cast and crew members on selected episodes. Other special features include interactive functionality (such as a tour of the Gotham sets), a comic book and DVD-ROM material.
| Complete season | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | September 23, 2003 | October 13, 2003 | December 3, 2003 |
| 2nd | May 18, 2004 | September 17, 2004 | January 1, 2005 |
| 3rd | November 16, 2004 | April 18, 2005 | July 13, 2005 |
| 4th | September 13, 2005 | October 10, 2005 | November 11, 2006 |
| 5th | September 12, 2006 | August 28, 2006 | April 4, 2007 |
| 6th | September 18, 2007 | October 22, 2007 | March 5, 2008 |
| 7th | September 9, 2008 | October 13, 2008 | March 3, 2009 |
| Complete series | August 25, 2009 | October 12, 2009 | March 31, 2010 |
Merchandise[]
Follow-up series[]
Spin-off series[]
Metropolis (2004-09)[]
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Diana Prince (2005-07)[]
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Pilot episodes[]
In 2004, between production of Seasons 3 and 4 of Bruce Wayne, The WB greenlit three fifty minute pilots for potential spin-offs: Metropolis (a vehicle for Colin Hanks as Clark Kent), The Question (focusing on Lou Diamond Phillips' Vic Sage), and Zatara (featuring Joe Mantegna and Ginnifer Goodwin). Of the three, only Metropolis was picked up for a full series. The Question and Zatara were both later included on the Bruce Wayne Season 4 DVD release.
The Question[]
Hub City journalist Vic Sage (Lou Diamond Phillips) is approached by Professor Aristotle Rodor, developer of a new synthetic skin, to investigate disappearances and strange occurrences at the hospital where Rodor works. Clad in Rodor's skin, Sage sets out to deliver vigilante justice to the streets of Hub City. All the while events are being unknowingly watched by the mysterious Lady Shiva. Also starring Philip Baker Hall as Aristotle Rodor and Kelly Hu as Lady Shiva.
Zatara[]
TBA . Also starring James Marsters as John Constantine.
Animated mini-series revival[]
In June 2021, an animated sequel was announced to be in development for HBO Max. In July, it was confirmed that Momoa, Astin, Saldana, Ealy, Pascal, Glen, Garson, Kelly, Scagliotti and Tudyk would all reprise their roles. Garson passed away in September, and out of respect, it was decided that the role of Oswald Cobblepot would not be recast. In October, Saldana, Pascal and Tudyk all dropped out due to scheduling conflicts for other projects. Later that month, it was announced that Troy Baker would take on the roles of both Harvey Dent and Jack Napier, with Aisha Tyler voicing Selina Kyle. In December, Colin Hanks and Morena Baccarin were announced to return as Clark Kent and Diana Prince, respectively.
List of episodes[]
Trivia[]
Quotes[]
Gallery[]
