There's a lot of intrigue surrounding The Penguin TV series coming to HBO Max, particularly as Oswald Cobblepot's story looks set to play out directly between the events of The Batman and its planned sequel. Lauren LeFranc has been tapped to serve as showrunner, and cameras are expected to begin rolling in the coming months.
The eight-episode spin-off will be the first of many small screen projects set in the world of The Batman, but we now have new details about what to expect from Oz's rise to power.
According to The Illuminerdi, HBO Max is now looking to cast the villain's mother, Francis Cobblepot. Apparently, she'll have an important role in the show, and that the woman has an "intense bond" with her son. She's a loving mother, and attempts to control him, but starts to lose control of her own life due to having a rare form of dementia.
Francis won't be at all well, and we're guessing Oz caring for his mom will more than likely be a way to humanise the villain as he attempts to take control of Carmine Falcon's criminal empire. Gotham also introduced The Penguin's mother, but it sounds like The Batman spin-off will take things down a slightly more serious and hard-hitting route.
The site adds Mike Stone is another character currently being cast, though he's only appeared in a single comic book. Arkham Manor: Endgame was a one-shot that revealed Mike used to work as muscle for The Penguin before landing a job at Arkham Asylum.
It's possible he's being introduced here before taking centre stage in the spin-off we expect will revolve around The Joker and The Riddler.
Finally, Victor Aguilar, a Latinx teenager, is also in the process of being cast, and it's said we'll follow the troubled youth's own rise to power across this story. We believe this to be a newly created character, though it's always possible that's a codename.
There's clearly going to be a lot going on in The Penguin, including Oz's own battle with Sofia Falcone, Carmine's daughter. We recently learned that she will be played by Cristin Milioti.
The Penguin doesn't currently have a premiere date.