We’re still a few months away from the release of The Batman, and while the return of the Dark Knight is reason enough to celebrate, it’s Colin Farrell as The Penguin that has me the most excited. Colin Farrell has previously said that he isn’t in the film as much as we would hope, but Variety has reported that he’s officially signed on to star in the Penguin TV series for HBO Max, meaning that we’re in store for much more of the actor’s take on Oswald Cobblepot.
Word of the Penguin series was first reported back in September, but at the time, it wasn’t clear whether or not Colin Farrell would reprise his role. Thankfully, the actor has returned, and in addition to starring in the series, he will also executive produce. The Batman spin-off series will reportedly tell a “Scarface-like” tale of the Penguin’s rise to power in the Gotham City criminal underworld. Lauren LeFranc is set to write the Penguin series, with The Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Dylan Clark also executive producing. Colin Farrell is damn near unrecognizable as the Penguin in The Batman, and from what little we’ve seen, he also seems to be having an absolute ball with the character.
The Penguin series isn’t the only spin-off of The Batman in the works for HBO Max. There’s also a series revolving around the Gotham Police Department which will build upon the film and explore the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City. Matt Reeves has teased that the series will be a prequel to his movie and be told from the POV of a crooked cop as it goes back over many years of corruption within Gotham. Before the arrival of any of these spin-offs, we’ll see The Batman hit theaters on March 4, 2022.