With the show pulling in impressive ratings and viewer numbers, The Penguin star Colin Farrell has spoken about two of the most notable design changes to the DC comics lore, which has drawn divided responses from fans of the original character.
Farrell appeared at comics-accurate Penguin didn't get very far:
"The bodies I had to bury to get a cigar".
Why Penguin's Redesign Ignoring The Comics Works For The Penguin
Colin Farrell may have fought to keep at least one comics-accurate detail in his Oz Cobb performance, but the show was never going to be a pure adaptation of Batman's comics. The Penguin show-runner Lauren LeFranc set out the agenda for The Batman spin-off well before it was released, confirming why her version consciously ignores some of the more iconic design choices of the character:
“I wanted to make sure that we could appeal to people who didn’t see it or didn’t think it was for them, who wouldn’t necessarily be interested in a comic book show. I don’t view our show as a comic book show. I view it more as a crime drama … certainly a character-driven drama. I wanted to make sure we could appeal to more people because we’re trying to tell stories that are relatable and a bit different. I do hope that people who aren’t necessarily fans of the genre would be interested in this show.” - Source: Deadline
Matt Reeves has also spoken openly about his Batman universe being more grounded and consciously avoiding more supernatural characters. That same logic clearly extends to universe-breaking design elements that might serve as DC Easter Eggs, but which wouldn't fit the character. Fundamentally, Oz Cobb wearing a top hat and monocle simply wouldn't suit the Penguin's new origin as a street-level gangster with grand aspirations.
Our Take On Colin Farrell's Penguin Design
It's still incredible to think that Colin Farrell is even playing the Penguin. The prosthetics are completely believable, and his performance is so transformative that convincing anyone out of the loop that it's the same actor wouldn't be easy. There are subtleties to his Penguin design that could be overlooked as well: his facial scarring - which effectively give him a beak-like appearance - for instance adds a lot without the show even needing to explore their origin explicitly.
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Beyond that, Oz wears outfits that he believes reflect his status. Just as his garish purple car is his ideal of what power and money looks like, his ostentatious suits are a mark of how out of touch he is with the high-class circles he aspires to break into. Having him wear a monocle and top hat would be overkill and would completely overwhelm that effect. The Penguin deftly avoids that problem, whether Farrell is happy with it or not, and if Oz wins his mission to take over Gotham, his future may well see him adopt a more comics-accurate look.
The Penguin
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Lauren LeFranc
- Directors
- Craig Zobel
Cast
Oz Cobb
Sofia Falcone
WHERE TO WATCH
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022's film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family's empire.
- Writers
- Lauren LeFranc
- Franchise(s)
- DC Elseworlds
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