The Batman villain is heading for the small screen.
As we continue to count the days until the release of The Batman in 2022, some interesting details have emerged regarding Colin Farrell’s turn as The Penguin.
Glimpsed only briefly – and looking practically unrecognisable – in the trailer, Farrell looks set to be playing the famous villain as some class of gangster, perhaps inspired by the characterisation in the recent Gotham TV show and the Arkham games.
Fans have speculated that the Penguin might only play a tiny role in proceedings, with Paul Dano’s Riddler positioned as the central threat for Batman to deal with.
Then again, reports emanating from a test screening last month indicate that The Batman could run as long as three hours – don’t bet on that, though – and is more akin to a horror film, so there may well be plenty for Farrell to sink his teeth into.
Clip via Warner Bros. UK & Ireland
Should he only amount to a cameo, fear not. Variety notes that a HBO Max spin-off show is in production, chiefly centred around The Penguin and his rise to power in Gotham’s criminal underworld.
The report underlines that the proposed series is “very much in its early stages” and that while Farrell has been officially approached to sign on, he has yet to put pen to paper.
A writer is on board, however, in the form of Lauren LeFranc, whose previous credits include Marvel’s Agents of Shield, Hemlock Grove and Chuck.
The ‘supporting blockbuster character’ spin-off approach is not unusual as far as HBO Max is concerned, with John Cena set to reprise his role of Peacemaker from The Suicide Squad for a standalone, eight-episode series in January.
What’s more, there is already a different Batman-themed spin-off in the works at the network, with Gotham PD set to arrive in the near future.
The Batman, meanwhile, is scheduled to hit cinemas in March, following several pandemic-related delays.
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