The Batman's spin-off series starring The Penguin (Colin Farrell) needs to break a common trend found in previous Batman shows. Unfortunately, the majority of shows set in Gotham City have all found themselves with the same problem, leading to a lack of major success. However, perhaps The Penguin can finally be the series that breaks the curse.
Currently, The Penguin is set to release on HBO Max and is currently in the midst of production. Beyond Farrell as the titular criminal who will likely be looking to fill the power vacuum in Gotham created by the demise of mob boss Carmine Falcone in The Batman, several of Falcone's adult children have been cast such as Sofia and Alberto who will be played by Cristin Milioti and Michael Zegen, respectively. As such, it stands to reason that they'll be opposed to Penguin as they seek to keep the family business alive. However, Batman shows that aren't centered around the Dark Knight himself have often struggled.
Batman Shows That Aren't About Batman Tend To Be Bad
The trend is easy to see: Batman shows that aren't about Batman don't often reach high levels of success. FOX's Gotham received very mixed reviews as a prequel set before Batman became the city's protector. Despite offering a strong cast of characters, plots became overstuffed and convoluted as writers attempted to offer fresh stories while still leading characters to their established points by the time of Batman's debut. Similarly, the CW's current Gotham Knights show set in the wake of Batman's murder hasn't found mainstream popularity, and Batwoman was fairly average as well.
Like Gotham, HBO's Titans also featured Bruce Wayne, but not Batman. Featuring a collection of Batman-related characters such as multiple Robins, Batgirl, and classic rogues, an entire season was set in Gotham as well. However, reviews have also been mixed for Titans. Last but not least is the even earlier prequel Pennyworth which struggled to simply exist and attract viewers, so much so that a subtitle was added for the third season: Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler. It also didn't help that Alfred Pennyworth getting his own solo project was the butt of a joke in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies a year before the show's premiere.
Why The Batman's Penguin Spinoff Will Avoid The Batman TV Curse
Thankfully, The Penguin has some strong advantages over these past shows as it's a spin-off from an incredibly successful movie. The Batman's version of Gotham and its Dark Knight has been received quite well as the start of a full trilogy of Batman films from director Matt Reeves, and The Penguin will simply be a chapter of that grander narrative. There have also been rumors that Robert Pattinson's Batman could appear, even if he won't be the star of this series coming to HBO Max. As such, The Penguin already has quite a few benefits in its corner that past Gotham shows sans Batman simply didn't have.
