The Penguinseries set in theDCUElseworlds is set to exclude Batman, but honestly, I think that makes perfect sense. When Matt Reeves’The Batmancame out in theaters in 2022, it revitilized the DC film space in an exciting new way after excitement for the DCEU began to dwindle. However, it was even more exciting to consider the potential expansion of that story with word of a sequel and multiple spin-offs all focusing on the Gotham Guardian and his Rogues Gallery.
Even afterJames Gunn was brought in to reinvent the DCEU into a new DCU, the anticipation for The Batman and its connected projects was intense. As a result, despite Gunn’s DCU casting their own Batman and creating separate films, the universe set in motion by Matt Reeves has been allowed to continue. And soon, the first branch of that tree comes in the form ofThe Penguin. The series will focus on Colin Farrell’s character as he scrambles for power in a rapidly decaying Gotham, but thethe series is avoiding the hero who started it allaccording to Reeves (viaGames Radar).
The Penguin TV Show Will Not Include Robert Pattinson’s Batman
Bruce Wayne Is Nowhere To Be Seen
Reeves made it perfectly clear that while they considered bringing Robert Pattinson back as Batman for the upcoming series, theydecided definitively to keep the focus on Penguin, and I think they made the right choice. As stated in Reeves' own quote, it does allow for the story to be more focused on Penguin and his journey, and if Batman swooped in, it would be a considerable distraction from Oz Cobbs' story. Even as Bruce Wayne, the presence of the character would result in a clear dynamic being set up that restricts the ability to create nuance.
Rob is not going to be in the show, I’d rather take the Band-Aid off now. We did talk about all that but we felt the best way to do this was to go on a grand exploration of a guy grabbing for power in this moment.
Clearly, the team behind the show put thought into this decision. While it might be fun to seeBatman square off against Penguin, the show is setting the stage for something bigger. It is unusual for creatives to reveal such a significant detail about the show ahead of release, andkill any hopes for a cameo, but it appears that the reasons for keeping Bruce Wayne out ofThe Penguinare pivotal and Reeves is not trying to bait viewers with empty promises. And in reality, keeping the Batman out of the story will make the character of Penguin so much more interesting.
The Penguin Needs Room To Grow In His Titular Series
As is so often the case with any villain, the characters need to believe that they are acting in a way that is ultimately sensible and righteous. Sure, they may do nasty things to get to the top, but when they take control, they can rule things in a way that makes more sense. By excluding Batman from the story, not only willOz’s character have room to develop unhinderedand wrestle for control of Gotham City, but the character can become sympathetic and layered. Oz is more than a villain to The Dark Knight, but he is a fully realized person trying to act in accordance with their beliefs.
8 DC Movies & Shows To Watch Before The Penguin
The Penguin delves into Colin Farrell’s unique take on the titular Batman villain, adding to a litany of previous depictions spanning decades.
If Batman appeared on the scene, it would create a conflict that would take over, and clearly position Penguin as the bad guy. In addition,including Batman but having him be unaware or oblivious to the Penguin’s plans would weaken the character. For a series that is meant to highlight the villain, it’s a lose-lose situation to include the hero. It would obviously mean they could have some fun fights, or action sequences, but the story would be diluted.
I’m Still Concerned About How The Penguin Is Setting Up The Batman 2
How Connected Will The Penguin Be To The Batman?
However, there is another side to this. With Batman being absent, it raises questions abouthow or why he is missing the criminal activityhappening in the series.Batman is meant to be the World’s Greatest Detective, but if Penguin is running around, under his nose, and he is missing in action, what does that say about the hero? It is possible that he went somewhere else to refine his abilities and train, considering he is still early in his vigilante career, but would he leave Gotham in a damaged and broken state after the events ofThe Batman?
The Penguin TV Show: Cast, Story Details & Everything We Know So Far
Matt Reeves continues his The Batman universe with some spinoff TV series, and the first to release is HBO Max’s The Penguin starring Colin Farrell.
As seen in the movie, he wasn’t exactly the quickest detective, and some clues alluded him, but this may all be down to the early stage of his career. Bruce is still reeling from the discovery that his father set up the Gotham Renewal Program, and appears to have been involved in some core corruption, so it’s possible he is chasing down leads in connection with that. However, at some stage,The Penguinis going to have to lead into theevents ofThe Batman 2, and see the hero either hot on Penguin’s tale, or cleaning up other areas of Gotham off-screen.
The Penguin
Cast
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.
