Sofia Falcone's nemesis and other 'Batman' characters set to make an appearance on 'The Penguin'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Colin Farrell starrer 'The Penguin' is making waves for all the right reasons. The much-awaited spin-off to 2022 film 'The Batman' brings Oswald aka the Penguin in focus, showcasing his rise to power in Gotham's criminal underworld following Carmine Falcone's death.
The HBO series offers a chance to not only delve deeper into Gotham City’s history but also serve as a launchpad for new stories and characters that could thrive within this universe. While doing so, we can expect several 'Batman' characters to make an appearance to push the narrative and also set the timeline straight for Matt Reeves's 'The Batman II', scheduled for 2026 release. Here are all the 'Batman' characters we expect to see in upcoming episodes of 'The Penguin'.
Carmine Falcone
Carmine Falcone, the Gotham crime boss, was killed in Matt Reeves's 'The Batman'. His death leads to the events of 'The Penguin' as Oz and Sofia battle against each other to gain power over the underworld.
Carmine was played by John Turturro in the 2022 film. Even though the character is dead, Carmine appears in several flashback scenes as a younger man in 'The Penguin'. Mark Strong replaces Turturro in the role.
Harvey Dent
While Batman's supervillain Harvey Dent aka Two-Face is set to be a part of 'The Batman' sequel, we can expect him to make an appearance in the HBO series too.
The corrupt District Attorney Gil Colson was killed by Riddler and the position is open. 'The Penguin' has already dropped a subtle hint by showcasing a fictional newspaper containing details of the new Gotham District Attorney's comments on crime and the justice system.
The news report contains remarks such as "Is our legal system dented beyond repair?" and "Both sides of the courtroom don't always agree". Words such as 'dented' and 'both sides' hint Dent's arrival into the narrative.
In the DC comics, Harvey Dent, the district attorney of Gotham City later turns into a criminal mastermind. Since 'The Penguin' is about the shift of power in the city's underworld, it would be interesting to see Dent's role in the series before the 'The Batman' sequel.
Scarecrow
Matt Reeves could use the introduction of Scarecrow to fit more villains into his 'Batman' universe. There's an opportunity to incorporate him into Gotham City's drug cartel.
Jonathan Crane, known for using drugs to make people face their worst fears, could be connected to the same drug trafficking ring that helped Salvatore Maroni rise to power with the "Drops". This would fit well with Penguin's story since he helped take down the Maroni family, and Scarecrow might seek revenge for it.
Black Mask
Though 'The Penguin' revolves around Sofia Falcone and Oz fighting against each other to gain control of the underworld, the series could use more antagonists. Surely, in the underworld, they won't be the only souls who would want to become the kingpin after Carmine’s death. Therefore, the introduction of Black Mask can be quite intriguing.
In the DC Comics, Roman Sionis is a brutal and ruthless crime lord in Gotham City. He is infamously known as Black Mash owing to his fixation with masks. This supervillain derives sadistic pleasure from the act of torture. He would make a great antagonist, to both Oz and Sofia.
The Court Of Owls
'The Penguin' serves as a bridge between the 2022 film 'The Batman' and its sequel, set to release in 2026. This means that the events happening in the series will drive the narrative of 'The Batman II'.
Oz's bid for control over Gotham's underworld could draw the attention of the city's real power, the Court of Owls. It's a secret group of Gotham's elite who have shaped its destiny for centuries. Up ahead in the series, we can expect the unfolding of a twist where Penguin not only learns about their existence but also a past connection to them.
Catwoman
In the final moments of 'The Batman', Catwoman says she is leaving the city. However, there can be a twist here. Knowing that she betrayed Falcone to help Batman, Oz could use her help to take down Sofia. Or else, she could be a threat to OZ as she was to Carmine.
We have previously witnessed Catwoman and Penguin's partnership in 'Batman Returns', and maybe it's time to relive that again.
Batman
Robert Pattinson played Bruce Wayne aka Batman in the 2022 film. Though the makers have mentioned that they are keeping Batman out of the show to keep the focus on the titular character, we still have our hopes up.
In the past, we have witnessed the makers of such highly-anticipated shows and movies lying about the plot or the appearances to keep juicy secrets. While Batman will surely remain absent for most of the series, we low-key expect him to appear at least once.
How to stream 'The Penguin'?
'The Penguin', developed by Lauren LeFranc, premiered in the United States on HBO on Thursday, September 19. It then shifted its episodic release to Sundays.
HBO will now drop a fresh episode every Sunday on HBO until its conclusion on November 10. With two episodes already aired, you can stream it on Max.
'The Penguin' trailer