Summary
With Colin Farrell set to make his Max series debut as one of the greatest villains in comics history, it’s fair to wonder what other characters might be joining him onThe Penguin. While the cast list has shed some light on at least some people Oz Cobb will run across in the eight-part miniseries.
Considering thatThe Penguinis a spin-off of Matt Reeve’s recent entry into theBatmansaga, one of the biggest questions around the new show is whether Robert Pattinson will make at least a cameo or two. After all, it’s hard to imagine a show set around the manformerly known as Oswald Cobbleplotnot facing off against his most bitter enemy at least once in the run.
Is Batman in Max’s The Penguin?
The short and sweet answer to whether Pattinson is going to be in Max’s spinoff series is that everyone involved has decided to keep the caped crusader out of the show. This is even though Matt Reeves and everyone involved in the project know more than a few fans are interested in seeing his version of Batman again.
The reason the makers ofThe Penguinhave decided to stay away from the Dark Knight appearing is that they want the show to focus on the titular character. Reeves and the rest of the decision-makers understand that despite the series focusing on the rise of Ferrell’s Cobb as a mob boss following the apparent (though perhaps not cut and dried) death of Carmine Falcone, the inclusion of Batman would pull viewer’s attention away from the central story.
It’s also worth noting that becauseThe Penguinis about Cobb getting more power and becoming thecentral figure of Gotham City’s crime syndicate, showing him repeatedly foiled in his endeavors would make him a far less compelling villain.
“I’m a point-of-view filmmaker,” Reeves said in a recent interview withTotal Film. “When I’m doing a Batman story, Batman and Bruce is going to be the main point of view.” He went on to say that he doesn’t believe the right people would get the focus if he went on to explore the “rogues gallery” that comes along withThe Batmanmythology.
“When I’m doing a Batman story, Batman and Bruce is going to be the main point of view.”
That’s not to say that the decision not to have Pattinson appear was a no-brainer from the very beginning. Reeves and the otherThe Penguinshowrunners have previously gone on the record as saying there were at least discussions about a cameo if the character wasn’t going to be a series regular.
In the end, they decided that instead of being a physical presence, Batman would appear as a kind of background presence that looms over everything. Instead of coming into direct conflict with the hero, there will be more discussions about what actions should be taken and which should be avoided, knowing that some decisions will run afoul of the vigilante crimefighter.
The PenguinTied to LargerThe BatmanUniverse
The good news here is thatThe Penguinis still tied to the largerThe Batmanuniverse. It’s not as though thecriminal element will pretendas though he doesn’t exist.
Knowing how Reeves wants to approach this Max show, the next obvious question is, if Batman won’t make an appearance, will viewers see any of the usual comic book characters that come along with Penguin?
What Heroes Or Villains Will Be In The Penguin?
Though these kinds of programs often have a few surprises up their sleeves, the current cast list forThe Penguinindicates the heroes and villains showing up are going to be far more grounded in run-of-the-mill good guys and bad guys. It is doubtful any meta human orcostumed do-gooder or baddiewill be prevalent.
Reeves and the showrunners have already made it clear thatJoker and Riddler are goingthe way of Batman in that they might be mentioned - especially since the series is set shortly afterThe Batman- but the characters won’t appear.
Instead, the baddies appearing in The Penguin appear to be mob-tied, like Dom Gigante and the remaining members of the Falcone clan. Likewise, the “good guys” are likely not to be caped crime fighters but Gotham City police, prosecutors, and even social workers.
Is Jeffrey Wright’s Gordon Sitting This One Out?
Unfortunately, it also seems as though Jeffrey Wright’s version of Jim Gordon is sitting the series out. Hopefully, the show will explain why Wright doesn’t appear, especially considering the two characters faced off against one another several times in the movie the show is based on.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be zero other characters from the comic books. There are some rumors thatThe Court of Owls will featureprominently. That could make sense since the Court involves powerful people and an underground criminal enterprise. While they do wear masks to hide their identity, it’s far more about tradition than using the costume to fight to stop crime.
Keeping all of that in mind, it’s clear that whileThe Penguinis based on a comic book character, this isn’t the kind of comic book show that viewers might have expected. The absence of Batman in any of the eight episodes is only the tip of the iceberg. Fans will get to see for themselves how that works out as theseries debuts on Thursday nightand then airs subsequent episodes on Sundays.
The Penguinmakes its Max debut on September 19.
The Penguin
Set in Matt Reeves' Batman Universe, one week after the events of The Batman, this is the origin story of Oswald Cobb, AKA The Penguin, one of Gotham City’s most notorious crime bosses. Presented by HBO Max. Starring Colin Farrell.
