View source for Batman: Gotham by Gaslight



{{Infobox film
| name = Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
| alt = A gas streetlight, Selina Kyle in Victorian dress and a top hat, and in front of her Batman. Beneath a foggy street and the mysterious cloaked figure of the Ripper. 
| image = Gotham gaslight blueray.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| director = [[Sam Liu]]
| producer = Sam Liu
| screenplay = Jim Krieg
| story = 
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Gotham by Gaslight]]''||[[Brian Augustyn]]|[[Mike Mignola]]<br />[[Batman]] by [[Bob Kane]] and [[Bill Finger]]}}
| starring = {{Plain list |
* [[Bruce Greenwood]]
* [[Jennifer Carpenter]]
}}<!-- Per home video release billing block -->
| music = [[Frederik Wiedmann]]
| editing = Christopher D. Lozinski
| production_companies = [[Warner Bros. Animation]]<br />[[DC Entertainment]]<br/>[[The Answer Studio]] {{small|(Animation services)}}
| distributor = [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]]
| released = {{Film date|2018|1|12|[[Newseum]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Milligan|first1=Mercedes|title='Batman: Gotham By Gaslight' Premiering at "DC in D.C."|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-premiering-at-dc-in-d-c/|website=Animation Magazine|access-date=January 24, 2018|date=December 15, 2017|archive-date=December 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213182117/https://www.animationmagazine.net/events/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-premiering-at-dc-in-d-c/|url-status=live}}</ref>|2018|1|23|Digital Download|2018|2|6|Blu-ray}}
| runtime = 78 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077H8N7Q8/|title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight|website=Amazon|date=February 6, 2018|access-date=November 17, 2017|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127092435/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077H8N7Q8/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
}}
'''''Batman: Gotham by Gaslight''''' is a 2018 American [[Adult animation|adult animated]] [[superhero film]] produced by [[Warner Bros. Animation]] and distributed by [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]], featuring an alternate version of the [[DC Comics]] character [[Batman]]. It is the 31st film of the [[DC Universe Animated Original Movies]]. It is directed and produced by [[Sam Liu]] and written by James Krieg, loosely based on the [[Gotham by Gaslight|standalone graphic novel of the same name]] by [[Brian Augustyn]] and [[Mike Mignola]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lovett|first1=Jamie|title=DC Animation's Next Movie Revealed|url=http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/07/08/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-movie/|website=Comic Book|access-date=July 8, 2017|date=July 8, 2017}}</ref>

The film was released for a world premiere screening at the [[Newseum]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] during the "DC in D.C." event on January 12, 2018,<ref>{{cite web|title='DC IN D.C.' Warner Bros. Television Group and DC Comics Landmark Diversity in Pop Culture Event January 12–13, 2018 -|url=https://goodmenproject.com/all-things-geek/dc-in-d-c-warner-bros-television-group-dc-comics-landmark-diversity-in-pop-culture-event-january-12-13-2018-xela/|website=The Good Men Project|access-date=January 24, 2018|date=December 19, 2017}}</ref> and then for digital download on January 23, 2018 before coming out on DVD and Blu-ray on February 6.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Newsarama Staff|title=BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT Film Release Date & New Trailer|url=https://www.newsarama.com/37349-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-film-release-date-new-trailer.html|website=Newsarama|access-date=November 15, 2017|date=November 14, 2017|archive-date=November 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114202605/https://www.newsarama.com/37349-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-film-release-date-new-trailer.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Batman: Gotham by Gaslight'' was the last film to be released during the lifetime of [[Benjamin Melniker]], a longtime DC film producer who died a month later at the age of 104.<ref>{{cite web |last= McMillan |first= Graeme |title= Benjamin Melniker, Prolific 'Batman' Producer and MGM Exec, Dies at 104 |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/benjamin-melniker-dead-batman-producer-was-104-1089052/ |website= [[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date= May 2, 2024 |date= February 27, 2018 |archive-date= February 12, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230212032921/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/benjamin-melniker-dead-batman-producer-was-104-1089052/ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/benjamin-melniker-dead-batman-producer-movie-mgm-dies-age-104-a8232691.html |title=Benjamin Melniker, producer of every modern Batman movie, dies aged 104 |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |access-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630142117/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/benjamin-melniker-dead-batman-producer-movie-mgm-dies-age-104-a8232691.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Plot==
In [[Victorian era|Victorian-era]] [[Gotham City]], Batman saves a wealthy couple from being robbed by three orphans ([[Dick Grayson|Dickie]], [[Jason Todd|Jason]], and [[Tim Drake|Timmy]]) and defeats their abusive handler, Big Bill Dust. At the same time, [[Poison Ivy (character)|Ivy]], an orphan turned exotic dancer and [[prostitute]], becomes the newest victim of [[Red Jack (DC Comics)|Jack the Ripper]], the [[serial killer]] who preys on Gotham's poor and destitute women. Citizens of Gotham believe the Batman and Jack to be the same man. [[Catwoman|Selina Kyle]], a famed local actress, berates Gotham Police Commissioner [[Jim Gordon (character)|James Gordon]] and Chief of Police [[Harvey Bullock (character)|Harvey Bullock]] for their failure to stop the Ripper murders.

At the Monarch Theatre with his friend, District Attorney [[Two-Face|Harvey Dent]], Bruce meets Selina and the two bond at the exclusive Dionysus Club. Bruce realizes that not only were the two of them raised by [[Leslie Thompkins|Sister Leslie]], but that some of the murdered girls were orphans formerly under Leslie's care. Bruce realizes that the Ripper will target Leslie and rushes to save her but is too late. At the crime scene, Bruce finds a bloody Dionysus Club pin, meaning the Ripper has to be one of Gotham's wealthy. At Sister Leslie's funeral, Bruce is met by psychiatrist [[Hugo Strange]], claiming he knows the killer and wants to meet with Batman. Bruce also is met by Marlene, a drunken old woman who claims she saw him sneaking around when Sister Leslie was killed.

At [[Arkham Asylum]], the Ripper ambushes Strange and throws him to his own frenzied patients, who tear him apart. While in pursuit of the Ripper, Batman is himself chased by police, only to be saved by a costumed Selina. After seeing Batman is Bruce, she takes him to her home, where they spend the night.

After Marlene is found dead, Bruce is arrested, and Dent, jealous of Selina's affection, prosecutes him as the Ripper. Sentenced to [[Blackgate Penitentiary]] following the trial, Bruce is met by Selina, who urges him to reveal he is Batman to clear his name and help save the girls from Jack. When he refuses, she decides to tell Gordon herself. Bribing a guard to deliver a coded message to his manor, Bruce escapes after staging a prison fight.

Selina meets with Gordon at the Gotham City [[World's fair|World's Fair]] and learns to her horror that he is the Ripper. While seeking Selina at Gordon's home, Batman learns this as well. Gordon injects Selina with a sleeping aid, but she remains conscious long enough to [[Bat-Signal|give Batman a signal]] using her blood on a searchlight. Batman arrives and fights Gordon into a [[Ferris wheel]] where Gordon, driven insane by his time in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], reveals his "holy work" is to rid Gotham from what he sees as human filth. The Ferris wheel lights on fire in the struggle and begins to collapse: Batman defeats Gordon, who chooses to commit [[suicide]]. Batman and Selina are saved by Alfred and the orphans, who are now Bruce Wayne's wards.

==Voice cast==
* [[Bruce Greenwood]] as [[Batman|Bruce Wayne / Batman]]<ref name="NYCC">{{cite web |url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/nycc-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-panel-shows-promise |title=NYCC: Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Panel shows promise |last=Siegel |first=Lucas |date=October 6, 2017 |website=Syfy |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117061931/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/nycc-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-panel-shows-promise |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Jennifer Carpenter]] as [[Catwoman|Selina Kyle]]<ref name="NYCC" />
* [[Anthony Stewart Head]] as [[Alfred Pennyworth]]<ref name="NYCC" />
* [[Chris Cox (voice actor)|Chris Cox]] as Father Callahan
* [[John DiMaggio]] as [[Harvey Bullock (character)|Police Chief Bullock]], Big Bill Dust<ref name="Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Blu-ray Details">{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-bluray-release-date-details/ |title='Gotham by Gaslight' Blu-ray Details Confirm Epic Cast, Release Date and Special Features|last=Trumbore| first=Dave |date=November 14, 2017 |website=Collider|access-date=December 26, 2017}}</ref>
* David Forseth as [[Solomon Grundy (character)|Cyrus Gold]]
* [[Grey DeLisle|Grey Griffin]] as [[Leslie Thompkins|Sister Leslie Thompkins]],<ref name="Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Blu-ray Details" /> Selina Kyle (singing voice), [[Jason Todd]]
* [[Bob Joles]] as Mayor Tolliver
* [[Yuri Lowenthal]] as [[Two-Face|Harvey Dent]]<ref name="Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Blu-ray Details" />
* Lincoln Melcher as [[Dick Grayson|Dickie Grayson]]
* [[Scott Patterson]] as [[Jim Gordon (character)|Commissioner James Gordon]] / [[Red Jack (DC Comics)|Jack the Ripper]]<ref name="Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Blu-ray Details" />
* [[William Salyers]] as [[Hugo Strange]]<ref name="Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Blu-ray Details" />
* [[Tara Strong]] as Marlene Mahoney, [[Tim Drake|Timmy Drake]]
* [[Bruce Timm]] as Arkham Radio Man
* [[Kari Wuhrer]] as [[Barbara Kean|Barbara Eileen-Gordon]] / [[Two-Face]], [[Poison Ivy (character)|Pamela "Ivy" Isley]]

==Influences==
Producer [[Bruce Timm]] has pointed to the 1944 film ''[[The Lodger (1944 film)|The Lodger]]'' and [[Erik Larson (author)|Erik Larson]]'s book ''[[The Devil in the White City]]'' as influences on the film.<ref name="Previews Gibson">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Allyn |title=#DCinDC2018: World Premiere Of Animated Batman: Gotham By Gaslight |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Article/206029-DCinDC2018-World-Premiere-Of-Animated-Batman-Gotham-By-Gaslight |access-date=February 20, 2019 |work=Previews World |date=January 15, 2018 |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726143559/https://www.previewsworld.com/Article/206029-DCinDC2018-World-Premiere-Of-Animated-Batman-Gotham-By-Gaslight |url-status=live }}</ref> He also cited a [[dream sequence]] in a particular episode of the 1960s television show ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' in which the characters of the show took on well-known roles from Victorian-era British fiction. "There was a Victorian one where the [[The Professor (Gilligan's Island)|Professor]] was [[Sherlock Holmes]] and [[The Skipper|Skipper]] was [[Doctor Watson]] and [[Mary Anne Summers|Mary Anne]] was [[Eliza Doolittle]] and [[Gilligan]] himself was [[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (character)|Jekyll and Hyde]]. So, this is kind of the same kind of idea. You take those characters that you know and you put them in different spots in this different world and see what happens. That was a lot of fun... ...It's a little glimpse into that Victorian Gotham and then expand that and put as many of Batman's stock players in it in roles you recognize... ...You know, who's gonna be [[Inspector Lestrade|Lestrade]]? And who's gonna be Watson? And who is gonna be [[Irene Adler]]?"<ref name="Den of Geek Holmes" />

Writer Jim Kreig spoke of the influence of the [[Sherlock Holmes]] stories, both as written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], and as written by [[List of authors of new Sherlock Holmes stories|others]]: "I grew up as a Holmes fan and my dad read it to me, and I read it to my kids. But I didn't want to get any of it wrong and I didn't want to leave any Sherlockian stone unturned. I made the [[Baker Street Irregulars]] into [[Robin (character)|Robins]]. I tried to do as much as I could... ...There's actually a considerable amount of British literature that are about Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper... ...There are about 15 books. I maybe read five of them." He noted the 1965 film ''[[A Study in Terror]]'' as a favorite of his.<ref name="Den of Geek Holmes">{{cite web |last1=Cecchini |first1=Mike |title=The Sherlock Holmes Influences of Batman: Gotham by Gaslight |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/batman/270756/the-sherlock-holmes-influences-of-batman-gotham-by-gaslight |website=[[Den of Geek]] |access-date=February 20, 2019 |date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> Timm, Krieg, and director Sam Liu had discussed including the Sherlock Holmes character in the film adaptation, but eventually opted to pay homage to that character with references to aspects of the Holmes canon.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Luke Y. |title=Blu-ray Review: 'Batman: Gotham By Gaslight' Gets An Excessive Makeover Onscreen |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2018/02/07/blu-ray-review-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-gets-an-excessive-makeover-onscreen/#1ee019576e4b |access-date=February 21, 2019 |work=Forbes |date=February 7, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241116021733/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2018/02/07/blu-ray-review-batman-gotham-by-gaslight-gets-an-excessive-makeover-onscreen/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
Julian Romano at ''[[MovieWeb]]'' gave the film a positive review, going so far as to say it "ranks among the best of the DC Animated Universe". He says the film surpasses ''[[Batman: The Killing Joke (film)|Batman: The Killing Joke]]'', doing a better job of adapting the source material, praising screenwriter Jim Krieg and director Sam Liu for their intelligent approach. He notes the R rating, and acknowledges that although the film is not suitable for younger audiences and features violence and coarse language it is not gratuitous.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roman|first1=Julian|title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Review: A Bloody Steampunk Romp|url=https://movieweb.com/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-movie-review-2018/|website=MovieWeb|access-date=January 29, 2018|date=January 27, 2018|archive-date=January 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127234811/https://movieweb.com/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-movie-review-2018/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Will Romine at ''[[Bleeding Cool]]'' gave the film 9/10.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Romine|first1=Will|title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Review: Smartly Innovative and Gripping|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/01/13/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review|website=Bleeding Cool|access-date=January 29, 2018|date=January 13, 2018|archive-date=February 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202114040/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/01/13/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Joshua Yehl at ''[[IGN]]'' gave the film 6.5/10.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Yehl|first1=Joshua|title=Batman: Gotham By Gaslight Review|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/01/19/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review-2|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=January 29, 2018|date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130110153/http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/01/19/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review-2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kayti Burt at ''[[Den of Geek]]'' gave the film 2.5/5, praising the voice cast, and describing it as "an R-rated whodunnit horror with a twist..." and that "[i]t's not as clever as it thinks it is, but it's clever enough."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Burt|first1=Kaytl|title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Review|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/batman/270310/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review|website=Den of Geek|access-date=January 29, 2018|date=January 23, 2018|archive-date=February 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207011247/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/batman/270310/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review|url-status=live}}</ref>

On review aggregation website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of {{RT data|score}}, based on reviews from {{RT data|count}} critics, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/batman_gotham_by_gaslight|title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}</ref>

===Sales figures===
The film earned $1,119,861 from DVD sales and $3,550,660 from Blu-ray sales, bringing its total North American domestic home video earnings to $4,670,521.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Batman-Gotham-By-Gaslight#tab=summary |title=Batman: Gotham By Gaslight (2018) The Numbers listing |publisher=The Numbers |access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* {{IMDb title|tt7167630|Batman: Gotham by Gaslight}}
* [http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/dcuam/gothambygaslight/ ''Batman: Gotham by Gaslight''] at The World's Finest

{{Batman in popular media}}
{{DC Comics animated films}}
{{Warner Bros. animation and comics}}
{{Jack the Ripper media}}
[[Category:2010s animated superhero films]]
[[Category:2018 English-language films]]
[[Category:2018 American animated direct-to-video films]]
[[Category:2018 films]]
[[Category:American adult animated films]]
[[Category:American alternate history films]]
[[Category:Animated alternate history films]]
[[Category:Animated Batman films]]
[[Category:Animated superhero films]]
[[Category:DC Universe Animated Original Movies]]
[[Category:English-language action films]]
[[Category:Fiction about world's fairs]]
[[Category:Films about Jack the Ripper]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sam Liu]]
[[Category:Films scored by Frederik Wiedmann]]
[[Category:Films set in the Victorian era]]
[[Category:Gothic films]]
[[Category:Steampunk films]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight|access_date=2026-02-26}}