While one deleted scene from The Batman might have gone viral online for debuting Barry Keoghan’s Joker, another cut moment spawned an entire spin-off show. The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, followed the titular villain on his rise to power in Gotham City’s criminal underbelly. Speaking on the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, director Matt Reeves, who served as an executive producer on the series, handing the showrunner reins to Lauren LeFranc, revealed where the idea for The Penguin initially came from. The director recalled an early conversation with LeFranc where they watched a deleted scene from The Batman, and revealed how it transformed into The Penguin.
The scene saw Selena Kyle attempt to work in the Iceberg Lounge’s super secret area, “44 Below.” However, she’s stopped by Oz, who sympathetically warns her that it’s not a safe place for her to work. “Oz is revealing himself in a way that’s much more vulnerable than he ever would with Batman,” Reeves began. Much like his relationship with his mother, Reeves said Oz’s protective nature over Sofia came from a place of twisted love. Oz then pulls out his wallet, and offers Selena money to not go down there, which she turns down, causing Oz to quickly become aggressive. Matt Reeves said Oz’s sudden shift was the spark that ignited The Penguin spin-off series.
In some Batman comics, The Penguin has a protective relationship over his mother, but it is rarely explored as deeply as it is in The Penguin. After watching the scene, Reeves gave Lauren LeFranc the creative freedom to take that core concept and run with it. He explained:
“When Lauren came in, I showed her that scene. We talked about where all of this toxic masculinity comes from.
Some vulnerability, some weakness so deep within that they are overcompensating for, that they are so protective of the wounds within them that they can become terrifying. Then it was for Lauren to go off and figure out, and she came up with the story about Francis (Deirdre O’Connell).”
Oz Cobb Will Return in The Batman Part 2 & 3
Oz Cobb has a long and no doubt unhealthy future in Reeves’ The Batman universe. Colin Farrell recently revealed he signed a three-picture deal when he took on the role of Oz Cobb in The Batman universe. We already know he will appear in The Batman: Part II (which begins shooting soon), and it has essentially been confirmed that he will survive the film to return for the final entry in the trilogy. However, it is still uncertain whether he will be the main antagonist in Part II, or if that role will go to another of Batman’s rogue’s gallery.
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As for The Penguin, Season 2 is currently anyone’s guess. It’s a safe bet that HBO will want to produce a second season, considering the record-breaking run of Season 1. But, it hasn’t officially been confirmed to be in the works by Reeves, LeFranc, Farrell, or anyone involved with the show.
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.
- Release Date
- September 19, 2024
- Cast
- Colin Farrell , Cristin Milioti , Rhenzy Feliz , Michael Kelly , Shohreh Aghdashloo , Deirdre O’Connell , Clancy Brown , James Madio , Scott Cohen , Michael Zegen , Carmen Ejogo , Theo Rossi
- Seasons
- 1