DC's upcoming The Penguin, a Colin Farrell-led spin-off of Matt Reeves' The Batman, is “really twisted.” At least according to the star.
In an interview with Jonatan Blomberg about his new Apple TV+ series, Sugar, Farrell discussed his forthcoming DC project. He revealed that they concluded filming two weeks prior to the interview. Farrell called it a “long and really wonderful experience.”
“It's incredibly violent,” he teased. “It's one man's rise to what he's always dreamed of inhabiting — which is a certain power or social status. And the death of Carmine Falcone at the end of the film [The Batman] leaves this vacuum in Gotham to be filled. So there are various people that are grabbing for that power and this is Oswald's journey trying to rise to the top through extraordinary obstacles.
“It's super dark,” Farrell said. “Lauren LeFrance wrote a really twisted eight hours of television.”
The Batman was a DC film directed by Reeves. It was a big commercial hit for DC, grossing over $770 million worldwide at the box office.
What “really twisted” Penguin series could look like
Luckily, it's easy to imagine the Farrell-led series. After all, Matt Reeves' The Batman was one of the darkest takes on the character. It featured gothic inspirations all around its iteration of Gotham City.
As Farrell hinted at, Oswald will be attempting to rise to power. It will probably feel a lot like Martin Scorsese's classic crime films. The Batman did lean into the crime genre, but expect The Penguin to do so tenfold.
It's also not going to be an easy journey for Oswald. I expect there to be a lot of resistance to his ascension. Even if Carmine Falcone dies in The Batman, his daughter, Sofia (Cristin Milloti), is coming for Oswald. That battle will likely take precedence over a majority of the eight episodes.
Will there be any big cameos?
One of the biggest questions about The Penguin is if any other characters in Matt Reeves' universe show up. A Robert Pattinson appearance as Batman wouldn't be overly surprising. However, I think an appearance from Zoë Kravitz or Jeffrey Wright is more likely.
John Turturro, who played Carmine Falcone in the film, could possibly appear. Perhaps this could be done through flashbacks or footage from The Batman.
What is The Penguin?
The Penguin is a spin-off of The Batman. It will follow Oswald's rise to power in the Gotham crime underworld. Colin Farrell returns as the title character. However, Reeves did not return to direct the series. He is an executive producer, however.
Max will distribute the eight-part series. It is due to be released in 2024. However, a release date has not been announced by the streaming service.