HBO Gives Long-Time Batman Archnemesis His Own Mafia-Esque MAX show “The Penguin” (2024)

By Jon Muñoz

After a two-year hiatus from the well-received and praised The Batman film, former director Matt Reeves returns as executive producer and with the help of director Craig Zobel to expand the legacy of long-time Batman archnemesis, The Penguin, portrayed by Oscar nominee Colin Farrell.

When we think of superheroes and villains in the DC universe, we usually think of iconic rivalries between Batman and Joker or even Superman and Lex Luthor. However, we exclude villains such as the Penguin. A good reason as to why this happens is because of the goofiness and unseriousness portrayed in most versions of the character.

The Penguin has been repeatedly portrayed as a short, heavy man with a long nose who wears a monocle, top hat, and morning suit while carrying his signature umbrella, contributing to his goofy and cartoonish personality.

Burgess Meredith, the iconic 1960s Batman television show actor, portrayed the character as over-the-top with a bright and wacky spirit. In the 90s Batman films, Danny DeVito kept some elements of the 60s version but aimed to portray the character in a darker and more grounded fashion, adding an interesting layer to the character’s motivation.

To many people’s surprise, The Penguin would not feature the caped crusader.

“When I’m doing a Batman story, Batman and Bruce is going to be the main point of view. To explore the rogues gallery, they could never get the real estate we can do in a series. So Batman is in this [show] only as a sense that he’s a presence. You’re aware that all of these events began because of the Riddler, but the Riddler doesn’t appear and Batman doesn’t appear,” said Matt Reeves to Total Film.

However, he is still mentioned through dialogue, and the show ties in with the events from the movie. It makes the aftermath of the film feel bigger and more impactful. The show focuses on the succession of the Falcone mob boss family after Carmine Falcone dies in a successful assassination attempt by the Riddler. The fight for this succession does not only happen within the family but also among his peers.

The Penguin was one of Carmine’s closest allies, and he seeks to take over the throne no matter the cost or lines he has to cross. He befriends Carmine’s daughter, Sofia Falcone (played by Cristin Milioti), who was recently let go from the psychiatric hospital Arkham Asylum. This friendship is both toxic and beneficial on both ends as they constantly help and cross each other. This dynamic makes the show more exciting and frightening to watch as it creates a tension between the two that is borderline unpredictable.

Despite the show’s darker themes, it also features some lighter moments, particularly in the dynamic between Penguin’s criminal partner, Victor Aguilar, played by Rhenzy Feliz. Victor is a teenager who suffered the loss of his parents due to the destruction caused by the Riddler, which led to severe flooding from the exploded dams, causing city-wide deaths. Despite his parents’ advice, he turns to a life of crime to survive and thrive in the crime-ridden Gotham City.

His relationship with the Penguin resembles a mentor-student dynamic, as the Penguin provides him with shelter, money, and an opportunity to learn how to survive in a hostile world. This dynamic can be likened to Tony Soprano and Christopher Moltisanti’s relationship from the classic HBO show The Sopranos. All these fictitious characters share the same defiant and assertive attitude regarding taking control and seizing opportunities in a world that may not readily offer them.

The show’s success is also attributed to its makeup and wardrobe. The makeup applied to Colin Farrell makes him completely unrecognizable.

“I saw (Farrell) one time out of makeup. I would hear that voice and it was like someone had Freaky Friday’d. It was so strange,” said Cristin Milioti to USA Today. “You would never, ever know up close that there was makeup. It’s incredible.”

Despite the outstanding contribution, the actor was more than unhappy with putting on the makeup. He would sweat at rapid rates and would almost melt the prosthetics off.

“And not to be glib about the consequences of the strike on so many families and so many professionals and artisans within our business, and the crew particularly [Farrell was a vocal supporter and picket line presence during the strikes], but the f—ing strike saved us. If we had a shot that in 100 degrees in the New York summer, we would have been in a jam, we would have lost hours a day [having to] reapply [the makeup],” Farrell told IndieWire.
You can catch The Penguin on HBO every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

HBO Gives Long-Time Batman Archnemesis His Own Mafia-Esque MAX show “The Penguin” (2024)

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