Highlights from the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 panel for HBO Max’s The Penguin including details on Colin Farrell’s transformation, new characters, and more.
The next exciting part of The Batman story is coming soon. The Penguin will appear on HBO in September and focus on Colin Farrell’s performance as Oz Cobblepot, also known as The Penguin. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, the cast and crew gave fans a sneak peek of what’s to come. Here’s everything you need to know about The Penguin panel!
The Genesis of The Penguin Series
While writing the script for The Batman, Director Matt Reeves got the idea for The Penguin series because the script was getting very long. To explore the story more, he created a limited series as a part of “The Batman Epic Crime Saga.” Reeves was amazed by how Colin Farrell transformed into the Penguin with the help of makeup artist Mike Marino’s prosthetics work, which brought the character to life.
Colin Farrell’s Transformation and Inspiration
Colin Farrell found inspiration in Burgess Meredith and Danny DeVito’s previous portrayals of the Penguin. He shared his excitement and humility about joining the world of Gotham and mentioned the initial reactions to his makeup transformation. Farrell was pitched the spinoff while filming The Banshees of Inisherin and was impressed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc’s vision. He described the Penguin as a “tasty” disaster of a character, and his enthusiasm was clear.
Lauren LeFranc’s Vision
Showrunner Lauren LeFranc was inspired by a real-life corrupt mayor who, despite his flaws, was helpful to his community. She aimed to embrace Farrell’s comedic timing and warm the audience to his character. LeFranc found it thrilling to connect personally with such a wild character.
A Week After The Batman
The TV series is set a week after The Batman. Lead actress Cristin Milioti immersed herself in the world of Gotham by watching the movie multiple times rather than drawing inspiration from the comics. She also shared her childhood dream of being a villain in the Gotham universe.
No Heroes in Gotham
One of the most exciting things about the series is how it develops the characters and explores what is right and wrong. Reeves says there isn’t a clear hero in the story. The show looks into the characters’ lives, even when they do things that are not clearly good or bad. Reeves sees the characters as complicated people who add new sides to their roles in a short time. This should keep viewers interested.
Introducing Victor
Rhenzy Feliz, who plays Victor, a streetwise kid whose life changes after meeting Oz, teased about his character’s role. Feliz mentioned that he had to get used to seeing Farrell in prosthetics. He described Victor’s relationship with Oz as an upside-down version of Batman and Robin.
The Dynamic Between Sofia and Oz
The upcoming series will explore Sofia Falcone’s complicated relationship with Oz. Their history is filled with tension, and how they interact will have a big impact on Gotham’s future. Both characters are shown as determined fighters, and their relationship is compared to walking on a very fine line.
The Penguin will provide an in-depth look into Gotham’s criminal underworld, delving into the characters and what drives them. Taking place a week after the events of The Batman, the series is expected to deliver intense drama and dark stories, offering viewers a fresh perspective on Gotham.
The Penguin starts streaming on HBO Max September 8th.
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