Many fans were expecting a sequel to The Batman in 2022, but a new show was a pleasant surprise in those plans. The Penguin stars Colin Farrell as the iconic Batman foe who has become a staple of pop culture since being played by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s Batman TV series. This new version is quite different from the one seen in that series, and the tone of the show as a whole is far from the comics.
Even compared to the movie that spawned it, The Penguin is a gritty crime drama that eschews colorful or cartoonish elements in favor of more realistic and human elements. It also goes further in the ratings, feeling more in line with other HBO shows like The Sopranos or even gangster classics like The Godfather. Not only does the more realistic tone help set Matt Reeves’ Batman series apart from other superhero franchises, but the adult storylines could also be what audiences are looking for once again.
Although The Penguin takes place shortly after the events of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the new TV series is by no means a superhero show. Instead, it feels even more gritty and streetwise than the film it’s spun off from, especially in the way it deals with crime. As the show’s name suggests, it focuses on Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobb as he rises through the ranks of Gotham City’s organized crime to fill the void left by the deceased Carmine Falcone. Along the way, he makes a surprising new ally and clashes with Sal Maroni and Falcone’s daughter, the alleged serial killer Sofia Falcone.
Throughout the story, the series flashes back and forth over many years, with some of these events taking place long before Batman ever arrived in Gotham City. By the end, it’s a truly tragic story that has a devastating effect on all the characters involved in The Penguin’s life. Batman himself is absent from the series, with The Riddler (who has been busy since the events of the previous film) actually getting more of a mention. This gives the show room to let its main villain breathe, even if he does inhale a lot of dust in his lungs while doing so.
The Penguin is a bleak and dark show, with more language and violence than warrants a TV-MA rating. The scope, tone, and premise of the show help it feel similar to the classic series The Sopranos, especially in the flashbacks. Those scenes are reminiscent of Tony Soprano’s youth, and it captures the desperation of the character’s situation and the lives of those around him. Even without Batman in the show, it’s still a world that feels like it needs him. Of course, those expecting a project that feels like it fits into the mold of the comics will likely be disappointed, which has become a frequent criticism of Reeves’ film. Ultimately, though, it’s a good thing for this shared universe, and another one is on the way.
One problem with The Batman and its planned spinoffs (namely the recently released The Penguin) is that, like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, they set Batman in a more grounded, realistic world. This makes the character as accessible as possible to mainstream audiences, but fans who want to see certain villains on the big screen will certainly be disappointed. After all, foes like Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and others will most likely never appear in this film universe.
Even as Batman films have moved beyond the usual suspects like The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, and Catwoman, these characters have been repeatedly tweaked to fit this realistic tone. As such, The Batman and The Penguin could be seen by some as further obstacles to bringing these villains to the big screen. Thankfully, there is an easy solution to this problem. James Gunn is currently the head of DC Studios, with the Guardians of the Galaxy director set to take over in late 2022. While 2023 sees the release of the final series of films and shows in the “DC Extended Universe,” Gunn’s new projects will be part of a rebooted DC Universe.
The Brave and the Bold will be the DCU’s Batman film and will feature Bruce Wayne, who has a son named Damian playing the role of Robin.
This shared universe of movies and shows is said to be more canonical than the DCEU, particularly when it comes to superheroes like Superman and Batman. Other projects will go beyond the mainline members of the Justice League and shine a light on lesser-known superheroes and villains, with the first project in the new DCU being the series
