UPDATED 3/9/22 2:20 p.m. ET: HBO Max has confirmed the Colin Farrell spinoff (working title The Penguin) has received a straight-to-series order. Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Farrell, and Lauren LeFranc are among the executive producers, with LeFranc also carrying writing and showrunner duties.
“The world that Matt Reeves created for The Batman is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot,” Colin Farrell explained in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become the Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
Reeves added: “Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman, and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill. Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”
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Colin Farrell’s time as the Penguin won’t end when the Robert Pattinson-starring The Batman hits theaters in March.
Variety has learned that the actor will reprise the role in HBO Max’s upcoming spinoff series, which will tell the iconic villain’s Gotham City origin story. Lauren LeFranc is set to write the series, with Farrell joining The Batman director Matt Reeves as an executive producer.
This marks the second series HBO Max is getting in connection to the upcoming film, with a show surrounding the Gotham Police Department already ordered. Other upcoming DC series on the platform include the John Cena-led Peacemaker show, a Green Lantern series, and Justice League Dark from Star Wars director J.J. Abrams.
The Batman itself arrives in theaters on March 4, with its latest Pattinson-starring trailer shared back in October as part of the yearly DC FanDome event. Fans were also able to get a closer look of Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman in the clip, as she, Reeves, and Pattinson talked all things Batman on trailer release day.
“I remember putting it on and thinking that this is gonna be absolutely impossible,” Pattinson shared of the first time he put on his bat costume. “Wearing a kind-of two-inch-thick rubber suit or latex suit and being incredibly nervous and full of adrenaline the whole time, I remember we did two takes and you were saying, ‘What can we do about this sweat?’ Nothing. There’s nothing that can be done. I have to be drained in liquid.”
By joining an impressive lineage of past actors, including Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito, and Robin Lord Taylor, Farrell is sure to put his own stamp on the character when the film hits theaters next year.
