The Penguin: Everything we know so far, explained

The Penguin
The Penguin will arrive in September 2024 (Image: Max)

DC's notorious evil-doer Penguin and the Caped Crusader's notable adversary is making his way back to our screens through The Penguin TV series this fall. The show is a direct spin-off series to Robert Pattinson's The Batman (2022), which will explore the story of Oswald Cobblepot, known for his sinister appearance and dark crimes.

If you think that Joker is the only ruthless Batman villain, then let us introduce you to Oswald Cobblepot, iconically known as Penguin. Fans saw Penguin in Pattionson's The Batman, and following the film's success, makers decided to delve deep into the foe's life as he's thrust into claiming his reign of terror in Gotham City. Here's what we know about the upcoming The Penguin series so far:

Who will play Oswald Cobblepot in The Penguin?

Colin Farrell will play Penguin (Image: Max)
Colin Farrell will play Penguin (Image: Max)

Since Colin Farrell excelled in the role of Penguin in the 2022 film, the choice was a no-brainer. It took almost four hours to transform the good-looking artist into an ugly adversary like Penguin through prosthetics.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Farrell was intrigued by the character from the beginning and said:

"I instantly had a sense of character, place, history, violence, pain. There was so much that was etched on the face of the character."

The teaser of The Penguin features Oz trying to gain all the power as seen at the end of The Batman. He has only one aim: to dominate the entire criminal underbelly of Gotham through his sinister tactics and challenge Batman.

While the titular character is played by Colin Farrell, there's no confirmation if Robert Pattinson will reprise his role in the TV series.

Who are the cast members of The Penguin?

The Penguin (Image: Max)
The Penguin (Image: Max)

The Penguin will also feature other interesting characters like Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, the cunning daughter of recently deceased Carmine Falcone. Rhenzy Feliz will play Victor Aguilar, Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, Clancy Brown is set to portray Salvatore Maroni, Michael Kelly as Johnny Vitti, and many other actors will also appear in various roles in the upcoming series.

What is The Penguin about?

Oswald Cobblepot (Image: Max)
Oswald Cobblepot (Image: Max)

As described by Colin Farrell in an interview with Jonatan Blomberg from MovieZine, The Penguin will be a "really dark and really heavy" series focusing on the criminal's story of acquiring wealth, power, and respect in Gotham City while majorly working as a crime lord in the underworld. The actor also added:

"It's incredibly violent... it's just one man's rise to what he's always dreamed of inhabiting which is a certain power or social status..."

Oswald Cobblepot sees the death of Carmine Falcone as the biggest opportunity to rise to power and achieve his goals.

During his early days, Oz Cobb often found himself being bullied and teased by people due to his unusual appearance. His beaked-like nose became the major reason why nobody treated Cobb well, ultimately isolating and troubling him.

Despite being from a rich family, Oswald Cobblepot could escape criticism and bullying. However, he was blessed with an overly protective mother who never judged Oz for his looks.

The young Oswald's life took a U-turn after his beloved mother died, and he lost all the fortune they had. This incident led Oz Cobb to choose the path of crime.

When will The Penguin be released?

The Penguin starring Colin Farrell (Image: Max)
The Penguin starring Colin Farrell (Image: Max)

The Penguin will premiere on September 19, 2024, on HBO. The series will have a total of eight episodes, which might set the stage for next season or another project.

Is The Penguin part of James Gunn's rebooted DCU?

The Penguin belongs to Elseworlds (Image: Max)
The Penguin belongs to Elseworlds (Image: Max)

No, The Penguin TV series and Pattinson's The Batman are not part of James Gunn's revamped DCU. Instead, they are part of the Elseworlds label which includes projects that exist outside of James Gunn's new DC Universe.


The Batman 2022 is available on Netflix.

Stay tuned for regular entertainment!

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Edited by Sezal Srivastava