It’s an exciting time to be a fan of DC Comics, and the live-action adaptations of the classic characters in that fold. Not only do fans have all of the upcoming DC movies and TV shows that are part of the DCU that James Gunn is launching, but the studio also has a handful of these Elseworld projects that are separate from the continuity, and beholden to the vision of specific filmmakers. Todd Phillips is taking audiences back to the complicated world of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) when Joker: Folie a Deux opens in October. And Matt Reeves is building out his unique interpretation of Gotham with the anticipated The Batman: Part 2, and the TV series The Penguin, available to anyone with a Max subscription.
Ahead of the eight-episode series dropping on Max, The Penguin writer/director Lauren LeFranc spoke exclusively with CinemaBlend about Colin Farrell’s return to the role of Oswald Cobb, a crime lord caught in a war between gangster families the Falcones and the Maronis, with the citizens of Gotham stuck in the crosshairs. There are moments throughout The Penguin where it seemed like Robert Pattinson’s Batman might show up… or at least make it clear that he was shadowing Penguin, after their encounters in the Matt Reeves movie. But as LeFranc explained to CinemaBlend, there’s a tragic reason why Batman isn’t part of this developing story, as she told us:
It's interesting, because Matt (Reeves) and I always talked about the fact that, in truth, his version of Gotham City is very grounded. Batman's not everywhere. It's a big city! And also, it has been established in the film that he doesn't really pay much attention to Oz. He doesn't think he's really worth paying attention to, in that regard. And so, honestly, we didn't really think in terms of this idea that Batman would be watching. We were just really more focused on following our characters on our show.
That’s sad, but also accurate. Robert Pattinson’s Batman had his hands full by the end of The Batman, given the fact that The Riddler (Paul Dano) flooded Gotham and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) was leaving the city to find herself. This version of Bruce Wayne had decided that he was going to seek to be a beacon of hope in the darkness of Gotham. And in his mind, Oz is probably nothing more than the two-bit head of a seedy nightclub, one who can be manipulated with intimidation, and made to do what Batman wants and needs. Like in this interrogation scene:
We have a long way to wait for The Batman 2, giving time for actors like Barry Keoghan to cleverly dodge questions about their possible involvement in the sequel. I’m excited to learn which villains Matt Reeves will want to focus on in the sequel. And I’m confident that by the time The Penguin ends its run on Max, Oz Cobb is going to demand Batman’s attention. Wait until you see how, and why.
