Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Penguin
DC’sThe Penguinfeatures the villain protagonist thatSony’s Spider-Man Universemovies had promised but haven’t delivered yet. After the events ofThe Batman,The Penguinfollows Oz Cobb as he topples Gotham’s two biggest crime families with the help ofhis unlikely partner Victor Aguilar, who awakens Oz’s paternal instincts but doesn’t entirely negate his innate desire for power and his deceitful personality. Besides Victor, Oz also joins forces with other criminals such as Sal Maroni and Sofia Falcone, who he betrays inThe Penguinepisode 3’s ending, to Sofia’s shock.
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was created to shine the spotlight on all the Spider-Man villains and allies that previous Marvel movies and the MCU haven’t touched upon yet. Venom has already received a full trilogy, while Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter have starred in their own solo movies. So far, Venom has been the most popular character introduced in Sony’s live-action Marvel movie franchise.The fact that Venom is a well-known anti-hero in the source material may have a lot to do with his live-action adaptation’s popularity.
The Penguin Presents An Irredeemable Villain Protagonist
The Penguin Isn’t Afraid To Depict Oz Cobb As A Full-Fledged Villain In His Own Story
One of the criticisms Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has received is that its protagonists are neither full-fledged villains nor dark anti-heroes despite the fact that they’re based on famous Spider-Man enemies. This issue is compounded by Spider-Man’s absence, which renders each main character an independent hero with different personalities to their comic book counterparts. Conversely,The Penguin’s Oz Cobb is unapologetically treacherous.Although Colin Farrell’s Penguin has a few positive traits, his tendency to betray everyone around him makes him irredeemable.
DC Just Is Setting Up A Fascinating Villain War For The Batman 2
The Batman and The Penguin have confirmed that Gotham’s villains aren’t on the same page, meaning that they could start a full-fledged war soon.
The Penguinreveals that Oz has a soft spot for people who have been mistreated and taken advantage of. Victor Aguilar’s tragic loss of his family due to the Riddler’s terrorist attack andSofia Falcone’s unfair Hangman infamybring out Oz’s softer side. Yet, Oz is quick to threaten Victor when he doubts the kid’s loyalty and quick to betray Sofia when the Maroni family arrive to kill Oz. By the end ofThe Penguin, there may not be any doubt about Oz Cobb’s viciousness, unlike any of the comic book villains in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
The Penguin Shows Villain-Led Movies Can Work In Sony’s Spider-Man Universe
Sony’s Spider-Man Movies Can Still Introduce Unmistakably Evil Protagonists
Although Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is yet to introduce its first villain protagonist, the franchise’s upcoming projects could start moving in the right direction. It seems likeKraven the Hunter’s titular character will be an anti-hero, but he will be the first protagonist in Sony’s franchise to star in an R-rated movie, meaning that he could be much more violent than previous characters. Likewise, Sony’s next Marvel characters could take a page offThe Penguin’s book and display irredeemable qualities all throughout their respective movies. Villains like Rhino, Black Cat, Silver Sable, and Hobgoblin could be Sony’s first-ever full-blown villain protagonists afterward.
