Summary

Starring Farrell, "The Penguin" is a dark drama fitting with "The Batman" universe.
Farrell reveals he watched Pixar films to cope with the darkness of his role.
Fans enjoyed Farrell's performance, making "The Penguin" a promising show.

The Penguin might have just gotten its start on linear TV and streaming, but it’s already left a significant impression on viewers who tuned in for the first episode and the show’s leading man reveals that it had an impact on him as well.

The Penguin is the most recent DC property to hit the screen, starring Colin Farrell in the eponymous role and chronicling his rise to power after the events of filmmaker Matt Reeves’ brilliant work on The Batman in 2022. The show was intentionally made to fit into the same universe as Reeves’ The Batman, serving as a direct follow-up to that film and a bridge between it and the upcoming sequel film The Batman: Part II. The show debuted on the 19th of September to almost entirely positive reviews from fans anc critics alike, with special mention made of the characterization and worldbuilding of a grounded Gotham City.

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By Ademilade Shodipe-Dosunmu

Central to the positive receptions The Penguin has received is Farrell’s performance in the lead role, bringing his Oz Cobb to the forefront with compelling darkness and grit that really sells the role and the show. However, the star revealed that this thrilling performance wasn’t easy to come by, and he had to take some very interesting actions to help him cope with the grim tone and taxing darkness the role required. "I watched Toy Story," Farrell admitted when discussing the filming of The Penguin with the Associated Press. "I was going in to watch Pixar films at the end of the working day just for something light and beautiful."

The attitude that Farrell brought to the role, as well as his totally anatomically correct prosthetic suit for the lead role, helped immensely to start things off on a good note. The need to destress is understandable, and its cheering that Pixar films were able to do the trick. Farrell also benefitted greatly from the tone of his next project, which gave him a panacea for all the negativity he had to steep in for his DC role. "It was actually a lovely job. It was optimistic, and it was light and about healing as The Penguin is about damage and about darkness and pessimistic," Farrell explained. "I mean this is a really almost borderline nihilistic piece of drama - this eight hours of the Penguin show. It was a good antidote." While he didn’t specify in the interview, reports suggest that the project in question is likely A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, a light hearted fantasy romance that is set to premiere in 2025.

While there’s a long list of Batman villains that could headline a show, The Penguin has retroactively proven that Farrell’s character was the right choice. His dedication to the role was evident from the very first scene of the series, and finding out the sort of coping mechanism it took to get him through the character study that is his Oz Cobb makes the effort that much easier to appreciate.

The strong start the show has garnered all but guarantees that fans will be invested in the rest of the season, whether or not Batman makes an appearance before the series comes to an end. It’s not entirely clear when Farrell will be called upon again to reprise his soon-to-be iconic role, but when that time comes, there might be a few new Pixar films to help him get through the filming process.

The Penguin is available to stream on Max and on linear TV every Sunday on HBO.

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The Penguin

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TV-MA

Crime

Drama

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Release Date: 2024 - 2024-00-00

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Created by Lauren LeFranc and starring Colin Farrell, The Penguin builds on 2022's The Batman. The Max series chronicles the eponymous villain's attempt to reach Gotham's criminal peak, rising through the underworld in the middle of a power struggle.

Cast: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O'Connell, Clancy Brown, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Michael Zegen, Carmen Ejogo, Theo Rossi
Showrunner: Lauren LeFranc
Directors: Craig Zobel
Writers: Lauren LeFranc
Franchise(s): Batman, DC Elseworlds
Seasons: 1
Prequel: The Batman (2022)
Story By: Bill Finger, Bob Kane
Streaming Service(s): MAX