Gotham City, the shadowy and crime-ridden metropolis synonymous with Batman, has captivated audiences for decades. But one question consistently arises for fans and casual observers alike: Where Is Gotham City Located? While widely accepted to be somewhere along the eastern seaboard of the United States, pinpointing the exact state of Batman’s famed hometown remains a fascinating and often debated topic. This ambiguity stems from its varied and sometimes contradictory depictions across DC Comics, blockbuster movies, acclaimed TV series, and immersive video games.
The very name “Gotham” has roots in New York City. Author Washington Irving first coined “Gotham” as a nickname for New York City back in 1807. However, it was Bill Finger, co-creator of Batman (alongside Bob Kane), who officially designated Batman’s operational base as Gotham City in Batman #4 (1940). Finger himself cited New York City, the gritty atmosphere of gangland Chicago, and even the gothic architecture of London as key inspirations for Gotham’s character and design.
“Gotham” was a nickname coined by author Washington Irving in 1807 to refer to New York City.
The visual representation of Gotham City has been just as geographically diverse as its inspirations, especially on film. Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, for instance, utilized a blend of Chicago, New York City, and Pittsburgh to create its on-screen Gotham. Other Batman movie productions have broadened the scope even further, filming scenes in locations ranging from Los Angeles and San Francisco to London, Liverpool, and Glasgow. The campy and vibrant 1960s Batman TV series, in stark contrast, was filmed in the sun-drenched Greater Los Angeles area. More recently, the darker, character-driven Joker films starring Joaquin Phoenix were primarily shot in New York and New Jersey, further adding to the city’s multifaceted on-screen identity. Even the more stylized and fantastical Gotham visions of Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher relied heavily on soundstages, contributing to the city’s elusive and ever-shifting nature. This array of filming locations has only amplified the ambiguity surrounding the fictional city’s precise real-world counterpart.
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For a significant period within the comic books themselves, Gotham City was largely considered to be situated in the state of New Jersey. Comic author Mark Gruenwald explicitly theorized its location within the Garden State. Furthermore, various comic storylines and references over the years have subtly placed or strongly suggested Gotham’s New Jersey affiliation. Notably, the Gotham City depicted in Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe (DCEU), often referred to as the Snyderverse, also firmly establishes its location within New Jersey.
Adding to the New Jersey theory, the recent HBO series The Penguin, a spin-off from The Batman (2022), offered a seemingly concrete clue. In the series’ first episode, a fleeting glimpse of Victor Aguilar’s driver’s license clearly indicates Gotham is indeed located in New Jersey. However, this apparent certainty is challenged by developments in the highly anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, suggesting a shift in Gotham’s statehood.
In Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux, Arthur Fleck’s trial for the events of the original 2019 film takes center stage. Crucially, the legal proceedings are identified as The State of New York vs. Arthur Fleck, with Harvey Dent, Gotham’s Assistant District Attorney, leading the prosecution. Further reinforcing this New York setting, license plates and other visual elements within the movie explicitly identify Gotham as being situated within New York State.
IGN directly inquired with director Todd Phillips about this deliberate choice of setting. Phillips acknowledged the long-standing association of Gotham with New Jersey, stating, “Well, Gotham is often said to be in New Jersey. It was discussed. Not with anyone at DC, it was discussed amongst ourselves,” Phillips clarified. Ultimately, the decision to place Gotham in New York came down to a more practical, and perhaps humorous reasoning: “We just kinda went with the ‘who are we kidding’ idea. Also cause it sounded weird ‘the state of New Jersey vs Arthur Fleck.’”
So, where do you think Gotham City should be located? The beauty of Gotham’s ambiguous location is that it allows the city to be both a familiar and fantastical place, mirroring the real-world anxieties and urban landscapes of various major cities while retaining its unique, larger-than-life identity within the Batman universe. Whether it’s New Jersey, New York, or a nebulous space in between, the true location of Gotham City remains, fittingly, shrouded in a bit of mystery.
