THE PENGUIN Showrunner Explains Why Mark Strong Replaces John Turturro As Carmine Falcone

THE PENGUIN Showrunner Explains Why Mark Strong Replaces John Turturro As Carmine Falcone

The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc has explained the decision to replace The Batman star John Turturro with Mark Strong as Carmine Falcone. She also comments on Oz Cobb's distinctive walk in the show.

By JoshWilding - Sep 19, 2024 07:09 AM EST
Filed Under: The Batman

John Turturro played Carmine Falcone in The Batman and ultimately met his maker at the hands of The Riddler who gunned him down from afar. 

While we'd anticipated that being where the character's story ends, he'll return in The Penguin courtesy of flashbacks. However, the gangster will be portrayed by Kingsman: The Secret Service star Mark Strong, a major casting change that's been left unexplained until now. 

Talking to IGN, The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc explained it simply came down to scheduling issues. "Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn't make it work, but honestly, I'm so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on. I think he's really good."

"Even though, maybe in the beginning when you first meet him, you might think, "Oh. Well, for fans of The Batman, I'm so used to John Turturro," and obviously John's a great actor, but I feel like the gravitas that Mark brings, it's different," she added. "It's very specific, and I hope, by the end of that episode, you're just thinking, 'That's Carmine Falcone,' and you're engaged in what Mark brings to it."

While it was previously reported that Strong is playing a younger version of Falcone - which never made sense when Strong is only six years younger than Turturro - the first episode shows the new version in a news report, meaning this is indeed a simple recast. 

In the same interview, LeFranc opened up on the decision to reveal in the first episode that Oz Cobb's signature "Penguin" walk is a result of a clubfoot. 

"For me, I thought it was very important to show his clubfoot in the first episode, because in the movie you're not quite sure why he limps, and I wanted to firmly establish why and to show the level of pain that he puts himself through, but doesn't speak about it," she said. "Also, this is nothing that we've ever put on camera, but in my mind, because if you have a clubfoot, now there's a surgery you can get, and that often people do." 

"And so, for my reasoning as to why he doesn't, he grew up with very little money. He didn't come from anything, and his mother didn't decide to spend the money on a surgery like that. Also, because she doesn't see it as a disability. She doesn't see it as a problem. She sees it as a way for him to strengthen himself."

LeFranc added, "Something I was conscious of are the sort of comic book tropes that have come before, of those who are other, those who have disabilities, those who have scars on their face. They're often easily depicted as the villain, and I think it's just an unfortunate thing in our comic book history, and I wanted to try to disrupt that as much as possible."

"So for me, it was important to show that Oz, psychologically, is a damaged person. Who he is inside is what informs the choices and the darker choices he makes. It's not because he has a disability. It's not based on the way that he looks. Of course, that's an aspect of his character, but that's not solely and predominantly why. So that was something that was always very important to me."

The Penguin is meant to serve as a bridge between The Batman and The Batman II, though it's now been confirmed - and this isn't a spoiler - that Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight doesn't make an appearance in the series. 

Many fans have wondered whether a surprise post-credits scene will be added that critics didn't get to see; unfortunately, that doesn't really feel like Matt Reeves' style!

Check back here later this evening for our recap of The Penguin's first episode. 

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FusionWarrior
FusionWarrior - 9/19/2024, 7:08 AM
I see, well Mark Strong continues to be in DC Projects.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 9/19/2024, 7:24 AM
@FusionWarrior - so long as he remains consistently great, I don't mind.
The1st
The1st - 9/19/2024, 10:31 AM
@FusionWarrior - And undoubtedly strong in his performance.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 9/19/2024, 7:11 AM
I'm mixed about this. I think Mark Strong is fantastic actor, and he's consistently been great in DC projects (even the bad ones). However, I really REALLY loved John Turturro in the role. Shame they couldn't bring him back, but I guess that's show business.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:14 AM
@HOTSHOT - yeah , I think he was shooting Severance at the time where he’s a main character so he couldn’t do this which is understandable

It is a shame since enjoyed his genteel and soft spoken yet still pretty menacing version of Falcone…

They said he was inspired by Noah Cross from Chinatown and it did show in that.

User Comment Image
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 9/19/2024, 7:17 AM
About as similar as Terrance and Don. It is what it is. Recasting happens. Do I like it? No. But I get it.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 9/19/2024, 7:25 AM
But why him? I get he is a great actor. But he is nothing like John. Just feels odd to me to ask the audience to see this as the same guy. But I'll give it a shot. Show seems top tier.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:30 AM
@ElricReturns - yeah , my worry is just consistency…

I hope they atleast somewhat feel like the same character rather then 2 seperate ones due to the actors doing their own thing.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 9/19/2024, 7:35 AM
@TheVisionary25 - I would have done anything to work around not showing Carmine on camera if they couldn't get John back. Writer's could have literally done anything else they wanted, even have John record a few voice over lines they could use to explain Carmine being off screen. Or just do a story that doesn't need Carmine on screen at all.

But to have another veteran actor with his own skill set take over the character... You know he isn't going to try to reproduce the previous performance, so you know it's gonna feel weird regardless.

It's avoidable. Should have been avoided.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:38 AM
@ElricReturns - I get yah , they could have had his presence more then seeing him on screen since the show is partly dealing with the fallout from his death so you can’t avoid him entirely

We need to see the flashbacks in context first to really judge if doing this was needed or not.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:32 AM
I had a feeling that he just might not have been avaliable to reprise the role hence they went with Mark Strong in a simple recast.

Anyway, gonna miss Turturro in the role but looking forward to Strong’s performance especially in regards to how consistent it will be with the former’s take or not.

User Comment Image

It’s funny that Mark Strong has been cast in every iteration of the DC universe of the last 13 years or so as a character so I wonder who he’ll be in Gunn & Safran’s DCU?.
6of13
6of13 - 9/19/2024, 7:40 AM
@TheVisionary25 - I could see him playing R'as al Ghul.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:41 AM
@6of13 - that could be cool

I could see him as Roman Sionis Black Mask too or Mr Freeze
6of13
6of13 - 9/19/2024, 7:46 AM
@TheVisionary25 - He would be great as Mr Freeze. And I could also see him as Alfred.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/19/2024, 7:50 AM
@6of13 - he would be an interesting Alfred
HammerLegFoot
HammerLegFoot - 9/19/2024, 7:46 AM
It always trips me out when I see John Turturro playing a serious role because my earliest memory of him is the butler from Mr. Deeds, and then right after that Transformers.
JstaKIDfrmBKLYN
JstaKIDfrmBKLYN - 9/19/2024, 8:20 AM
I find it sad that Josh always thinks everything is incredible and he uses the most exaggerated language just to try and get in one of the critics say commercials. Pathetic. You got some brown on your nose, Josh.
UncleHarm1
UncleHarm1 - 9/19/2024, 10:25 AM
@JstaKIDfrmBKLYN - You got some brown in your brain homie
QuietStorm
QuietStorm - 9/19/2024, 8:24 AM
Damn. I wish they couldve kept John. But happy we get to see Mark.
MisterBones
MisterBones - 9/19/2024, 8:36 AM
Strange casting as he’s nothing remotely lile Turturro. That can be achieved by acting or course but they both have such different energies as performers
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 9/19/2024, 9:05 AM
"Something I was conscious of are the sort of comic book tropes that have come before, of those who are other, those who have disabilities, those who have scars on their face. They're often easily depicted as the villain, and I think it's just an unfortunate thing in our comic book history, and I wanted to try to disrupt that as much as possible."

I really hate this way of thinking. It's totally untrue yet for some reason people in Hollywood keep pushing this idea. The amount of super heroes that have scars or disabilities greatly outnumber the amount of villains.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 9/19/2024, 9:37 AM
Recasting takes me out everytime.
Biggums
Biggums - 9/19/2024, 9:49 AM
Booo! Dude could've shot remote with a green screen.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 9/19/2024, 12:05 PM
@Biggums - Or, we could've seen a different character.
TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 9/19/2024, 12:16 PM
I prefer mark anyways.
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 9/19/2024, 1:05 PM
They ruined the continuity for no reason. Falcone's dead. They didn't have to show him again.
Deklipz
Deklipz - 9/19/2024, 3:14 PM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - say it slowly…
f l a s h b a c k s. Now say it again. Now look it up in a dictionary and see how it’s used in storytelling.
micvalpro
micvalpro - 9/19/2024, 7:15 PM
Adam Sandler could have been a good replacement
asherman93
asherman93 - 9/20/2024, 4:12 PM
Welp, on one hand that makes perfect sense.
On the other, I'm kind of disappointed.
MovieLover39
MovieLover39 - 9/21/2024, 10:28 AM
In my opinion, they casted Carmine Falcone perfectly the first time. However, I’m really excited to see what Mark Strong brings to the role. He’s a great actor. I saw the first episode of The Penguin, and it’s surprisingly really good so far. I like that they chose to explore The Penguin in a TV-MA setting. It reminds of Netflix’s version of Kingpin in some senses. Not all, of course. They’re not exactly alike.
MovieLover39
MovieLover39 - 9/21/2024, 10:38 AM
@MovieLover39 - I will point this out: Spider-Man and Kingpin. Batman and Penguin. Creature-man goes up against a rich man who runs a gang/mob, with a name of two syllables and "in" as the last two letters.

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