The DC Extended Universe is certainly taking some unique steps forward in expanding its story by looking to the past while developing its future movies and TV shows. The most prominent example of this will come in 2022's The Flash, which sees Ezra Miller team up with Michael Keaton's Batman as he makes an unexpected return to the cape and cowl.
While Ben Affleck's DCEU take on the Caped Crusader will play a small role in The Flash alongside Keaton, the star behind the 1989 version of Batman has made waves since he was first rumored to return in 2020. Keaton himself said returning to the iconic role was "like riding a bike" as his comeback opens the door for what the DCEU Multiverse could hold.
It's unclear who will be in Keaton's path on the villain front after first coming to blows with Jack Nicholson's Joker and Danny DeVito's Penguin. As it turns out, with Keaton now back, one of his former co-stars sees an opportunity for his own comeback in the DCEU's future.
Danny DeVito Wants a Penguin Reprisal
In an interview with Forbes, Danny DeVito revealed that he's interested in playing the role of the Penguin again after his role in 1992's Batman Returns.
While praising his original DC outing as a "brilliant movie," DeVito sees the possibility of his Penguin making a comeback, although he said it would be all up to the film's director, Tim Burton. He had nothing but good things to say about his time working on Batman Returns and is more than open to taking on the role for a second time:
“I feel like it’s not out of the question that The Penguin will return someday, but this is all up to Tim, whether or not Tim wants to do this. I would say that could be in the cards because we ain’t dead yet (laughs). We could do a continuation of what we had in the past because that was truly a brilliant movie. They afforded me that opportunity and I feel very grateful and would I like to revisit it? Why not! It was a really great moment in time for me."
Two Penguins in the DCEU?
Marvel Studios is already diving fully into the Multiverse with confirmed comebacks for five Spider-Man villains from alternate universes in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While the DCEU is taking similar steps by including Michael Keaton's Batman in The Flash, which could continue into future movies, it appears that Danny DeVito wants in on the action too.
DeVito's Penguin certainly made an impact on the 1992 sequel with Oswald Cobblepot terrorizing Gotham City as one of numerous villains with a look that still leaves a mark to this day. The long-time star could certainly step back into the role with relative ease with the right opportunity, but the interesting dynamic here is that there's already a Penguin that will be established in the DCU.
In 2022's The Batman, Colin Farrell will be bringing his version of the Penguin in to take on Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader alongside other antagonists like the Riddler and Carmine Falcone. Whether Warner Bros. wants to have two different Penguins in the same story is still a mystery, although the use of the Multiverse makes that possibility a little easier to realize.
No matter what happens, DeVito expressed a true desire to explore the Penguin once again, especially with Keaton's Batman already confirmed for a return.
The Flash is set to debut in theaters on November 4, 2022.
