Matt Reeves’ The Batman opened worldwide on March 4, 2022, and has since received near-universal acclaim since its release on HBO Max. Robert Pattinson’s grunge-fueled take on the Caped Crusader and a stacked cast of criminals inhabiting a new but familiar Gotham City fired off on all cylinders. Stars including Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, and Colin Farrell made an impact with unique interpretations of iconic DC Comics characters.
HBO Max’s “The Penguin” Teases Cobblepot’s Rise for Power
The news of a spinoff centered around Ozwald Cobblepot starring Colin Farrell being greenlit may be news to some people but development started well into the production of the first “Batman” film. Variety reported in September 2021 that a limited Penguin miniseries detailing his rise within Gotham’s seedy criminal world was in the works with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. producer Lauren LaFranc serving as the showrunner and head writer.
In the latest trailer for the series, now officially titled The Penguin, more character actors have joined the DC Extended Universe. The Wolf of Wall Street star Cristin Milloti will be playing Sofia Falcone, daughter of the late slain Carmine, and Dexter: New Blood actor Clancy Brown has been cast as the “mob boss” Salvatore Maroni. Similar to the marketing for The Batman, Matt Reeves and company have been clever by laying the groundwork for the world they want to set up but not revealing any major plot points.
Following the events of “The Batman”, many figures are feeling the urge for power and influence after Carmine Falcone’s death. Sofia Falcone and Oswald appear to be forming an alliance to dismantle the surviving figureheads and claim what they believe to be rightfully their own. The teaser was as grim and unflinching in its action as the film that preceded it was.
Colin Farrell Talks “The Penguin” Plot
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While the full details of the show’s plot have not been made public just yet, the teaser had vibes that evoked aspects of “The Godfather”, “Heat”, and “American Hustle”. Colin Farrell has been interviewed about what fans can look forward to. In his own words, Farrell describes Oswald in the series as “A man at great struggle to try and claw his way to the top of the power vacuum that was created at the end of the [first] Batman film,” during an interview with Hey U Guys.
“With the death of Carmine Falcone, there’s a power grab in Gotham now. Lauren LaFranc wrote, with her room of writers, she wrote eight extraordinary episodes of story. I mean, just really bold stuff. I couldn’t believe it got as dark as it gets so that’s what to expect.”
The first episode of The Penguin miniseries is scheduled to air on September 8, 2024 and the series will be available to stream exclusively on Max.
