‘The Penguin’ Just Brought Back a Very Unlikely Batman Foe in a Most Brilliant Way

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As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of immersion in the Batman universe, I must admit that Matt Reeves’ The Batman and its spin-off series, The Penguin, have truly elevated my expectations for what a comic book adaptation can be. Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot is nothing short of masterful, and the intricate world-building in both the film and series has left me awestruck.

When Colin Farrell got the role of Oswald Cobblepot, also known as The Penguin, in Matt Reeves’ movie “The Batman”, some fans were uncertain about his portrayal due to initial doubts about his fittingness for the character. However, despite Farrell not initially appearing to be the typical choice, the costume design team did an outstanding job and Farrell delivered a superb villainous performance that was so captivating that HBO decided to create a separate series centered around The Penguin as a standalone focus.

Under the title “The Penguin“, this series made its debut on September 19, 2024. Both critics and audiences alike are raving about it, hailing it as a worthy follow-up to Reeves’ film and an impressive demonstration of world-building. The acting from the cast is also receiving high praise, suggesting that the Batman universe envisioned and led by Reeves is indeed living up to fans’ expectations.

In this installment, we’ll delve into one of the familiar faces reintroduced to the show in an engaging manner, as a host of new characters have emerged while some old ones have returned, leaving fans continuously discovering and recognizing them.

To clarify, the event that serves as the basis for this article is depicted in the show, where the character Penguin, instead of using his fancy car, opts to travel via public transport when he wants to visit his mother Francis, played by Deirdre O’Connell.

Penguin ensures his mother’s safety by taking all necessary precautions as he understands the potential hazards lurking in Gotham City’s underworld. In a particular scene, The Penguin, accompanied by Victor (portrayed by Rhenzy Feliz), encounters a masked young man distributing flyers within the subway system. The Riddler’s signature question mark symbol is encoded as a QR code on these promotional materials. Moreover, the phrase “Gotham’s true identity,” often used by the Riddler in his pursuit of truth, is also displayed on the flyers.

It’s clear that this storyline features a follower of The Riddler, as his influence continues even though Paul Dano’s character hasn’t appeared in the show (as of now). The citizens of Gotham City are well-aware of its systemic corruption, which explains why The Riddler’s legacy persists. As a result, it seems that the character is being represented indirectly in this series.

Absolutely, the true Riddler remains in Arkham Asylum, and there’s a possibility that Reeves might introduce him again into the storyline. If he does, it’s clear that Batman will face greater challenges since the psychopathic antagonist now has numerous followers roaming the streets of Gotham. Nevertheless, we’re eagerly watching as Reeves’ universe continues to expand and flourish!

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2024-09-20 17:43