Despite plenty of speculation and rumors to the contrary, it was always highly unlikely that The Batman would be hit with an R-rating, but HBO Max is not bound by the same constraints and considerations as Warner Bros.' theatrical releases, and it sounds like the planned Penguin spinoff series will take full advantage.
During an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Colin Farrell spoke about his interpretation of the classic DC Comics villain. The Irish actor said he was looking forward to exploring Oz in more depth, and that he's "heard we're going to be allowed to kind of do an R-rated version" of the character.
It doesn't sound like things are set in stone here, but if the still untiled Penguin show is being developed with a R-rating in mind, there's a good chance the GCPD spinoff will follow suit.
Farrell has a relatively small part in the movie, but he delivers a show-stealing turn as Oz, so we're looking forward to seeing a lot more of him in the series and (hopefully) eventual sequel.
The review and social media embargo for The Batman lifts this Monday, so be sure to check back here to find out what we thought. You can also follow me on Twitter for an in-depth discussion, because I will have a lot to say about this one!
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.