The Penguin, a proposed spinoff of box office hit The Batman, will take flight on HBO Max.
[Spoilers warning for those who have not yet seen the film.]
The robust gangster, masterfully played by Colin Farrell, will finally get his due now that a pilot has been ordered. The actor himself confirmed the news in a statement:
“The world that Matt Reeves created for The Batman is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of [Oswald Cobblepot. I] couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration as Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin. [It will] be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
The Penguin Comes To TV, But It’s Not His First Waddle
Farrell is also the Executive Producer on the show, and he is joined by Reeves, showrunner Lauren LeFranc, Dylan Clark (also from The Batman), Adam Cassanand, and Daniel Pipski.
His take on the iconic gangster villain debuted in the film as right-hand man to crime boss Carmine Falcone. Through the film he displayed his dangerous, violent streak numerous times and first encounters with The Batman (Robert Pattinson). Falcone’s exposure and subsequent execution due to the Riddler’s machinations effectively left Oz with the keys to the lounge and the empire. Based on Colin’s description, this will be a “Penguin Year One” series.
Farrell is the fourth actor to portray Penguin in a live-action project, and second to portray him on TV. The infamous Burgess Meredith brought Penguin to campy life on the 1966 Batman series. Danny DeVito succeeded Meredith in 1992’s Batman Returns, his Oswald crafted through prosthetics as a deformed bird-like criminal. His was also the first version to announce his birth name in a live-action treatment. Oswald was then brought back to TV in the prequel series Gotham, played by Robin Lord Taylor, rising up from a gangster’s lackey to a psychotic crime boss with a permanent limp after a leg injury that looked like a waddle.
LeFranc is ecstatic about this project. “I have long been a fan of the world of The Batman, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the [canon. I’m] excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City — and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?”
The Batman is now in theaters.
Official Source – The Penguin Series Officially Ordered for HBO Max – ComingSoon.net
