Ol' Oswald Cobblepot is one of Batman's oldest enemies, first appearing in Detective Comics #58 all the way back in December of 1941. What the Gotham City mobster lacks in physical intimidation (although he's certainly capable when pressed into a corner) he makes up for with his ruthless intellect. The character's last appearance on the big-screen was in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS where he was played by Danny DeVito, but the Penguin may be set for a return.
According to Variety's Justin Kroll, who cautions us to take the news with a grain of salt, the Penguin may be the main villain in Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN, but even if Reeves decides on another villain, Warner Bros. could give Penguin his chance to shine in Cathy Yan's BIRDS OF PREY.
Matt Reeves teased that development on THE BATMAN was going "really, really well" last month, but it's still not a sure thing that Ben Affleck will reprise the role. It's been rumoured again and again that the actor would be stepping down, and Jake Gyllenhaal has even been mentioned as a possible replacement, but at this point, who knows exactly what the plan is. As for BIRDS OF PREY, the film will find Margot Robbie returning as Harley Quinn, where she'll be joined by several other female DC characters. In the comics, those other characters consist of Barbara Gordon, Black Canary, and the Huntress. It's hoped that production on BIRDS OF PREY will get underway either late this year or early next year when Margot Robbie has completed work on Quentin Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. It would be interesting to see the Penguin featured in either of those movies, but as Justin Kroll said, things can change at the drop of an umbrella.
Who can you see stepping into the role of the Penguin?