‘The Penguin’ Showrunner Discusses the Depth of Female Characters in the Series: “Rarely are the women as interesting as the men”

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As a lifelong fan of crime dramas and Gotham City’s dark underbelly, I can hardly contain my excitement for ‘The Penguin’ series! With Matt Reeves’ cinematic universe serving as its foundation and Lauren LeFranc at the helm, this show promises to deliver a gritty, violent, and deeply nuanced exploration of one of Batman’s most intriguing villains.

2021 brings excitement for viewers as ‘The Penguin’ series debuts, a spin-off from Matt Reeves’ Batman movie franchise. This series operates in a different universe compared to Gunn and Safran’s DCU. Following the events of the film, the power vacuum created by Carmine Falcone’s demise offers The Penguin an opportunity that he, with Sofia Falcone’s assistance, intends to seize.

Colin Farrell mentioned that the upcoming series will explore the intricacies of the character, encompassing his awkward moments, power, wickedness, and hidden sorrow, expanding upon his performance in the movie. Moreover, he highlighted that the program is expected to be incredibly brutal and grim.

Recently, Showrunner Lauren LeFranc sat down for a chat with Total Film, where she delved into the complex motifs of the series and the crafting of profoundly layered female characters within the realm of crime dramas.

Very few women have been able to write these kinds of movies or television shows.

My viewpoint on Oz and masculinity in general varies, which led me to populate his world with intriguing, multidimensional female characters, such as Cristin Milioti’s portrayal of Sofia, who challenges power dynamics when she’s freed from Arkham Asylum. In conventional crime stories, women often lack the depth and complexity of their male counterparts. Therefore, I saw this chance to examine previous work, acknowledge and preserve the genre’s roots, and simultaneously push it forward.

In the upcoming series, we have an impressive lineup of talented actors: Colin Farrell stars as The Penguin/Oswald “Oz” Cobb, while Cristin Milioti steps into the role of Sofia Falcone. Clancy Brown portrays Salvatore Maroni, and Michael Zegen is Alberto Falcone. We find Michael Kelly bringing Johnny Vitti to life on screen, and Rhenzy Feliz plays Victor Aguilar. The cast also includes Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni, Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb, and several other notable actors like James Madio, Scott Cohen, Theo Rossi, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, David H. Holmes, Craig Walker, and Jared Abrahamson. There are still a few roles yet to be unveiled in this star-studded lineup.

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2024-08-15 10:13