Fox orders third season of young-Batman epic ‘Gotham’

Fox wants to prowl farther down the streets of “Gotham.”

The network announced late Wednesday that it has ordered a third season of the comic-book fantasy that tells of the origins of Batman and various Gotham villains, such as the Penguin.

“Gotham” averages 9 million total viewers across all platforms, according to Fox, and performs particularly well among young men. The series has also earned positive reviews from critics; the first season posted a score of 71 (out of 100) on the aggregation site Metacritic, indicating “generally favorable” notice.

Fox Entertainment president David Madden, in a statement, praised the producers for extending the Batman myth with “depth, emotion and memorable high drama.”

Fox will announce its entire lineup for next season in New York in May.

What do you think of “Gotham”?

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT