As we write this, The Penguin's San Diego Comic-Con panel is still in full swing. HBO and Max have wasted no time in sharing the trailer first shown to Hall H attendees, though, and you can see what's to come when war erupts in Gotham City in the player below.
Following the events of The Batman (which saw The Riddler murder Carmine Falcone), there's a void which needs to be filled and Colin Farrell's Oz seems to believe he's the man to do it.
However, as he makes a play on becoming Gotham's new Kingpin of Crime, he finds an unexpected foe in one Sofia Falcone. Filmmaker Matt Reeves told fans at Comic-Con that the original idea for The Batman II was to pick up with Oz taking over the underworld, only for the idea to evolve into this TV series.
It's also been confirmed that The Penguin will premiere on HBO and Max on September 19, one day after Agatha All Along premieres on Disney+.
"It’s a Scarface story," showrunner Lauren LeFranc recently told Entertainment Weekly. "It’s a rise-to-power story of Oz before he really makes it to the top."
"We’re in Oz’s world," she added. "We’re living in the underbelly of the city. Oz is a mover and a shaker. He can’t always be trusted. He’s very smart and very methodical, but he’s also extremely impulsive. You can’t predict what he’s going to do."
A display on the Comic-Con show floor has also revealed that Shazam! star Mark Strong appears to be playing a younger version of John Turturro's Carmine Falcon in the series. Reeves also told fans during the panel that Farrell will reprise his role as The Penguin in The Batman II, news which doesn't come as a huge surprise. Shooting begins next year.
Here's The Penguin's thrilling new SDCC trailer...
The Penguin's cast also includes Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone), Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar), Michael Kelly (Johnny Viti), Shohreh Aghdashloo (Nadia Maroni), Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb), Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni), James Madio (Milos Grapa), Scott Cohen (Luca Falcone), Michael Zegen (Alberto Falcone), Carmen Ejogo (Eve Karlo), and Theo Rossi (Dr. Julian Rush).
The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro.
Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, The Penguin is produced by Reeves' 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer.
The Penguin premieres on HBO and Max on September 19.