A rumor did the rounds last year that Robert Pattinson would reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/The Batman for the upcoming Max spin-off focusing on The Penguin, and we may now have confirmation that the Caped Crusader will indeed make an appearance.
Some new photos from in and around the Penguin set have been shared online, and while none of them actually feature Pattinson in-costume/character, the actor was reportedly spotted filming scenes for the show.
If true, this is a very smart move. A Penguin-focused story could work without the Bat, but it only makes sense that Gotham City's protector would drop in at least once to keep an eye on Oz and set up their dynamic for Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II.
We don't imagine Pattinson will have anything close to a substantial role. In fact, we'd say he'll probably only show up in one episode (the season finale, most likely).
We're still waiting on a full trailer, but Max did share an "In Production" teaser earlier this year, giving us a first glimpse of some footage from the series. In it, we see Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) going about establishing himself as the "new Kingpin of Gotham" following the void that was left in the city's underworld after Falcone's death at the end of The Batman.
We also get a first glimpse of Cristin Milioti as Carmine’s daughter Sofia Falcone; Michael Zegen as Carmine’s son Alberto Falcone; and Clancy Brown as rival mobster Salvatore Maroni.
Then, right at the end, we see how ruthless the Penguin can be in a moment that seems to be paying homage to one of the villain's more infamous deeds in the comics, which saw him gun down a waiter in cold blood with very little provocation.
Lauren LeFranc (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) is on board as showrunner and exec producer along with The Batman writer-director Matt Reeves. Executive producer Craig Zobel (Mare of Easttown) is directing the first three episodes.
The eight-episode series will also feature Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, Theo Rossi, and David H. Holmes in supporting roles.
The Penguin hasn't been given an exact release date, but is reportedly still on track to premiere at some point later this year.
Are you looking forward to the show? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.