We got word a few months back that a Penguin series is in the early stages of development for HBO Max, and Colin Farrell has now officially signed on to reprise the role. The In Bruges actor will make his debut as a new interpretation of the classic DC Comics villain in Matt Reeves' The Batman next March.
The show, which is described as a "Scarface-like series about the rise of the Penguin character" that will delve into his ascension to power in the Gotham criminal underworld, is set to be executive produced by The Batman duo Dylan Clark and Matt Reeves.
The Penguin, aka Oswald Cobbelpot, is one of The Dark Knight's best-known foes and has been depicted in live-action several times over the years, with Burgess Meredith bringing arguably the most iconic interpretation of the character to life in the '60s Batman TV series, and Danny DeVito playing a more grotesque incarnation in Tim Burton's Batman Returns. More recently, Robin Lord Taylor starred as Cobblepot in Fox's Gotham.
The Penguin series joins Joe Barton's still untitled GCPD show, which is also set before the events of The Batman and is expected to "extend the world established in the movie and further explore the myriad complex characters of Gotham."
The Penguin seems like an odd character to get his own spinoff (especially with so many Bat-related villains yet to receive the spotlight), but Warner Bros. is clearly confident that fans will want to see more of Farrell's take on the crime boss after The Batman
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