The rise of Oswald Cobblepot is set to expand the world of Warner Bros.’ The Batman on HBO Max. With the film grossing $134 million at the North American box office and $124 million internationally, this announcement comes after director Matt Reeves revealed that plans for a Gotham Central show have “evolved” into another spinoff series.
After being announced as in development last year, HBO has confirmed that The Penguin—a working title—has been given a series order. The show is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, star Colin Farrell, and Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner. “Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman, and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill,” Reeves said of the announcement in a press release sent over email. “Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”
Farrell’s Penguin is quickly becoming a fan favorite, so it isn’t surprising we’ll get to see how Cobblepot wobbled off to greatness during the events of the movie’s hectic last act. “The world that Matt Reeves created for The Batman is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot,” Farrell said in the release. “I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become the Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
It’s not the first time of course that we’ve gotten to see a live-action Penguin cause a little mayhem on TV. Previously, the Fox show Gotham offered an interpretation of the Penguin’s (Robin Lord Taylor) rise to power alongside the Riddler in the prequel series for the Caped Crusader. This time it remains to be seen if any involvement with The Batman’s Riddler will be as intimate (the Nygmobblepot ship has sailed, friends). However odds are we’ll get to see if this Penguin’s background carries links to the Riddler’s plans for Gotham, as well as his own plans for the Falcone crime family in the wake of the events of the film.
The bigger question may also be, will we be seeing more of Robert Pattinson as Batman or Bruce Wayne as well? While that detail is being left out, the Penguin’s dynamic with Bats and Gordon definitely carried some of the more standout scenes in the film—it’d be interesting to see him show up elsewhere. We’ll bring you more on The Penguin as and when we learn it.
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