The Penguin, who might not actually go by that name when played by Colin Farrell in The Batman, is being prepped for his own HBO Max spinoff.
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Variety reported earlier this week this project is in development as a series that should “supposedly delve into The Penguin’s rise to power in the Gotham criminal underworld,” according to their sources.
If that sounds a lot like Gotham to you, you’re not alone but HBO Max and The Batman director Matt Reeves are already knee-deep in development on the film’s Gotham PD spinoff that seeks to explain how the police department got so corrupt, much like the Fox series.
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Familiar ground aside, Lauren LeFranc (Agents of SHIELD, YouTube Red’s Impulse) is tapped to write while The Batman producer Dylan Clark and Reeves will return to executive produce.
Colin Farrell reportedly has a deal on the table to return but nothing has been finalized as HBO Max and WarnerMedia declined to give a comment to Variety.
Things are in early development so a premiere date is likely a long way off but the project will join a litany of DC original content for HBO Max that also includes the standalone Batgirl and Blue Beetle movies, Green Lantern, Peacemaker, and Justice League Dark-inspired productions.
When it comes to his next movie, alleged leaks maintain that Colin Farrell is not in very much of The Batman and may not figure into the plot in a definitive way, meaning the series will fill in the gaps. They also say he goes by “Ozzie” – as in Oswald – more than we could hear the moniker “Penguin.”
One of Batman’s most recognizable villains, he’s been played in several famous iterations drawing from the comics by the likes of Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito, Paul Williams, and Robin Lord Taylor. The Batman, however, will be Oswald’s first live-action appearance to hit the big screen since 1992.
Related: Colin Farrell Details Penguin’s Role in Matt Reeve’s Upcoming The Batman Film
The Batman should be done with all the delays and finally land in theaters this coming March. If you plan on giving it or a Penguin-led spinoff a chance, let us know down below.