What REALLY Happened To WB's Cancelled Batman: Arkham Games?

4. A Bolder Batman - WB Montréal's Damian Wayne Game

Montréal's Suicide Squad was an unknown quantity. Apart from its cast and co-op focus, there's no way of telling what it would've looked or played like. Their next project however? Well... it's easier to consider the possibilities.

Batman is one of those properties that conjures familiarity. Audiences know the story and world inside out, but here's the thing - some of the best interpretations of Batman throw out the rule book entirely. Batman Beyond garnered huge acclaim by telling the story of a teenage Batman in a Blade Runner-inspired cyberpunk version of Gotham, while other works like Justice League: Gods and Monsters have also boldly divested from the character's more typical depictions.

One of the best reinventions of the Dark Knight to appear on the page came during Grant Morrison's run on Batman. In the suitably hellish Batman #666, Morrison and artist Andy Kubert whisked readers away to a dystopian version of Gotham where a supernaturally powered Damian Wayne is the new Caped Crusader. A little too extreme for mainstream audiences, perhaps, but Montréal recognised that there's something inherently compelling about throwing out the rule book; if it worked for Batman Beyond and Morrison, why wouldn't it for them?

The resulting project was almost a mishmash of Batman Beyond and Batman #666, but with Montréal's own aesthetic on top. What's come to be known as the 'Damian Wayne Batman Game' entered development sometime after the release of Arkham Knight, and would've acted as a sequel set decades in the future, with Gotham giving off some serious Escape From New York vibes, and new villains providing Damian with his own gallery of rogues.

While rumours of the Damian Wayne game had persisted for about a year by the time Suicide Squad's cancellation became known, it wasn't until 2019 that concept art of the title emerged, and by that point it was clear that it too was cancelled. Still though, the leaked art gives us valuable insight into what Montréal were aiming for, and may also go some way in verifying earlier leaks and rumours that were at one time discredited as mistruths.

Like Morrison's #666 universe, the Damian Wayne title would've utilised a dystopian version of Gotham as its sandbox (well, more dystopian than usual). New versions of classic Bat-enemies would've also been present, with art depicting a female Black Mask, an older Two-Face and White Rabbit, Gorilla Grodd, and also what would appear to be Joker's daughter - possibly even Duela Dent. Reports at the time had claimed this was a new Poison Ivy, but the clown makeup surely intimates otherwise.

The art also gives us a look at Damian - still sporting a shaved head - and a relatively obscured look at his Batsuit. Even more juicy though is the presence of a Bat-Cycle, a long rumoured mechanic that WB are now said to have integrated into their upcoming Arkham title, and the missing piece in the puzzle that may finally vindicate earlier rumours surrounding Montréal's Arkham projects.

Earlier rumours surrounding the Damian title - first reported by French website Addictedtoseries - claimed the open world would've been "crowded" and have a day and night cycle. This report was also the first to mention the Bat-Cycle, as well as an upgradeable Bat-Cave that would've presumably built off the one seen in Arkham Origins.

Sadly, the Damian Wayne Batman game was cancelled sometime around 2016-2017, with Jason Schreier confirming as much while appearing on the Kinda Funny YouTube channel in March 2018.

It's unclear why WB passed on the project in the end. While further info regarding the cancelled project is still forthcoming, it wouldn't be disingenuous to assume the boldness of the pitch had something to do with it. To the vast majority of audiences, Batman is Bruce Wayne; departing from that in such a big way may have been seen as a risk, ensuring Montréal's compelling new take on the Arkhamverse fell at the first hurdle.

Despite the Damian Wayne concept succumbing to cancellation, rumours since have claimed that certain elements of the title will feature in WB's new Batman game, including the day and night cycle, as well as Batman's motorbike.