The cast of HBO Max’s “The Batman” spinoff series, “The Penguin,” keeps growing. This week, Rhenzy Feliz joined the cast in an undisclosed role, Variety reported on Feb. 13. That same day, Variety said that Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, and “House of Cards” alum Michael Kelly had also been cast, also in mystery roles. The news comes as production on the series is set to begin in New York City.
On Oct. 31, 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed to POPSUGAR that Cristin Milioti would join the series as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Gotham’s biggest crime boss, Carmine Falcone. In Matt Reeves’s “The Batman” film, actor John Turturro plays Carmine. The Penguin, played by Colin Farrell, is Carmine’s right-hand man, and Farrell and Milioti will costar in the series together.
Reeves’s “The Batman” was released in March 2022 with Robert Pattinson as the titular Caped Crusader and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. It was a box-office smash, making over $770 million. During the movie, Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle, reveals that she is also Falcone’s daughter, but it’s unclear if Kravitz will return for “The Penguin” as well.
HBO Max confirmed the spinoff was happening shortly after the movie was released. “The Penguin” apparently takes place soon after the events of “The Batman,” and the limited series will serve as a sequel. The character of Sofia was first introduced in DC Comics in the 1990s. She’s been portrayed in a live-action adaptation just once before by Crystal Reed in “Gotham.”
In “The Batman,” the Penguin – real name Oswald Cobblepot – is an associate of Carmine who runs the Iceberg Lounge. Farrell disappeared into the role with intricate prosthetics, and though Paul Dano’s Riddler is the film’s central villain, the Penguin is an audience favorite, bringing both car chases and comedic relief. The post-credits scene also teased Barry Keoghan as the Joker in a sequel film.
“I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin,” Farrell said in a statement when the show was announced last year. “Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
Lauren LeFranc, whose credits include Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Hemlock Grove,” has signed on as writer and showrunner. “I have long been a fan of the world of ‘The Batman,’ and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon,” LeFranc said in March 2022. “I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?”
The Penguin was first portrayed by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s “Batman” series and later by Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” and, more recently, Robin Lord Taylor in “Gotham.”