Over the last year, actor Josh Gad has seemingly been angling for the role of The Penguin in a DC Extended Universe film. Danny DeVito previously portrayed Oswald Cobblepot in memorable fashion in 1992's Batman Returns, but that remains the character's only live-action feature film appearance. Gad has previously said that he was just having some fun with his Penguin teases and that might be true, but he is continuing the bit, and one can't help but wonder if it may indicate that there is something more to it. Take a look below to see Josh Gad's latest channeling of the criminal mastermind:
This has been going on for the better part of a year now, so either Josh Gad just likes trolling the internet, loves The Penguin, really wants to play him, or already is playing him. Josh Gad's Twitter post here is in response to Nightwing director Chris McKay asking followers what quality fans would want for Dick Grayson. Josh Gad's response, using a gif of Danny DeVito's Penguin from Batman Returns, is fuel to the speculation fire. Nightwing is one of DC's most badass characters and pitting the skilled fighter against a villain that provides a mental threat is a compelling prospect - so could The Penguin fit the bill? This Twitter interaction also comes near the time we heard we might find out some more details about the Nightwing movie, so it's all very interesting...
Josh Gad is perhaps best known for playing LeFou in Beauty and the Beast and Olaf in Frozen, two lovable characters who are nothing like the villainous Oswald Cobblepot. The actor may seem like an unconventional choice given the type of roles he normally takes, but if the history of comic book movies has taught us anything, it is to not judge casting too quickly - especially when it comes to one of Batman's rogues. Josh Gad could look truly chilling as the character, and if his continued teases are merely a campaign on his part, they're not a bad way to get people talking about him in the role. With so many Bat-verse films supposedly in the works, it seems entirely likely that the actor could play The Penguin in at least one of them. Batman's rogues gallery and Bat-family are rich enough to support an entire cinematic universe completely divorced from the main DC film universe, so the character is bound to show up sooner or later (he was teased in Justice League, after all).
The future is seemingly wide open for Batman on film and the same goes for his rogues gallery. Right now in the DC Extended Universe anything is possible, and though Josh Gad might just be teasing, time will tell if he isn't. For all the latest in super-villain news and actors toying with comic nerd hearts, stay tuned to CinemaBlend. To see all the films coming out this year, all of which are lacking in a certain Batman-ness, check out our release schedule.
