Fox's Batman Prequel Gotham Taps Jada Pinkett Smith as Major Villain

Jada Pinkett Smith has joined the cast of Fox's Batman prequel Gotham, TVGuide.com has learned.

The drama pilot, which has a series commitment at Fox, explores the origin stories of Detective James Gordon (Benjamin McKenzie) and his battle with the villains who made the city famous before Gordon becomes Gotham's commissioner and Batman's ally.

Get the latest pilot season news

The Matrixalum, and wife of Will Smith, will play notorious villain Fish Mooney, a sadistic gangster boss and nightclub owner who has street smarts and an almost extra-sensory ability to read people like an open book. Imposing and hotheaded, she's not one to be crossed.

Smith — whose TV credits include HawthoRNeand A Different World— joins the previously cast Sean Pertwee as Alfred, Robin Lord Taylor as the Penguin, who works under Mooney, Donal Logue as Gordon's mentor, Erin Richards as Gordon's fiancée Barbara Keen and Zabryna Guevara as Gordon's boss, Captain Essen.

Mentalist creator Bruno Heller will write and executive-produce Gotham with Nikita's Danny Cannon.

What do you think of the casting?