The upcoming HBO series, The Penguin, a spin-off of Matt Reeves' The Batman, manages to hold on to its dark, grimy world of Gotham City through one of its most famous villains: Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin.
Colin Farrell portrays an up-and-coming crime lord rising through the ranks of Gotham City's underworld after Carmine Falcone died in The Batman.
This all-new trailer, presented to Comic-Con, gives the first look at a violent and overly ambitious character who will let nothing stand in his way in his quest to assume leadership over the city's criminal activities by overseeing drug trafficking through his nightclub, the Iceberg Lounge.
It is in the aftermath of the chaos created by the Riddler as he leaves open an authority gap in Gotham's drug business, that the struggle for The Penguin's rise to power truly comes into being.
The Penguin's descent into Gotham's drug trade
Following the chaos unleashed by the Riddler in The Batman, power vacuums are unfolding across the criminal landscape in Gotham City. Of course, the death of Carmine Falcone leaves an enormous void, which Oswald Cobblepot—a.k.a. The Penguin—could very much fill by stepping into the drug trade.
As seen in The Batman, Carmine Falcone, before his death, was involved in nearly all of Gotham's organized criminal activities including drug trafficking, among other crimes.
With his death, however, the doors swung open to new players. When Gotham is taken over by corruption and crime, that is when the business of drugs thrives. It feeds on desperation and a lack of strong leadership. Oswald understands this very well.
Through this, Cobblepot, who from the very beginning was a lieutenant in Falcone's organization, uses the position as a tool to place himself in the shoes of a powerful crime lord. He has an eye for building a power base with recognition, one that is going to place him on par with those who preceded him.
In The Batman, this same Cobblepot functions as the sly, somewhat lackey operative of Falcone, orchestrating the intricate dance of Gotham's underworld under his boss' leadership.
His aim to rise as a drug kingpin is driven not so much by wealth as it is by his desire to claim power, in a town rife with chaos and opportunity.
Decoding The Penguin trailer and its key takeaways
The trailer for The Penguin, the long-awaited HBO series, gives several critical pointers in the light of its character development and the general idea behind the series.
First off, the trailer sets the scene in Gotham City which has been torn apart by chaos while still reeling from the aftermath of the flooding and violence seen at the end of The Batman. Chronologically, this places the show only days after the events of the film.
He has been involved in various brutal confrontations, shown handling firearms, and demonstrating his ruthless attitude to claim dominance. This drift towards aggression signals the change within him as he learns to handle the troubled situation in Gotham's underworld of crime.
The trailer prominently features Oswald's nightclub, The Iceberg Lounge, indicating that this is going to be a major setting for The Penguin, which, in the comics, is where he operates his crime business.
We also see Falcone's daughter Sofia (played by Cristin Milioti) and Salvatore Maroni (played by Clancy Brown) taking up major roles in the criminal ecosystem of Gotham City.
Maroni was a previous gang lord who was busted with help from Falcone who acted as a mole, while Sofia is portrayed as a mentally unstable killer, both of whom present major hindrances in Oswald's rise to power.
Sofia's alter ego, The Hangman, is also hinted at. The trailer also portrays the issues of legacy regarding Cobblepot, particularly how he wants to be remembered as a man respected and feared, much like former gangster Rex Calabrese who he is shown to respect in a previous teaser released by Max.
The hint at this storyline right away shows that a lot of his motivations are going to be wrapped up in finding recognition and leaving a lasting mark on Gotham's criminal history.
A style like this would complement the thematic exploration of moral gray areas and lurking dangers within the shadows of Gotham City—placing The Penguin at the forefront. This trailer brings the impression of really delving deep into the mind, motivations, and brutal realities of Cobblepot and his rise to power.
How does Penguin's character evolve from The Batman to The Penguin?
This series is going to flesh out Cobblepot's character, deep-diving into his motivations and backstory, as well as his relationships with many key characters, including his mother. We also see Victor Aguilar, his driver and right-hand man.
Visually, the Penguin's character growth is represented in a new crisp suit that's jarringly different from what he used to wear in The Batman. It's a change that marks a realignment within crime and power dynamics in Gotham.
The show tries to bring across a far more grounded character before us, surviving and manipulating in Gotham, a city known for its complicated relationship with crime. This development aligns closely with the central themes of ambition, treachery, and powerplay, with The Penguin at the center of it all.
The date set for its release on HBO is 19th September 2024, with eight more episodes to follow.
