While 2022 has largely been a rough year for Warner Bros. Discovery on the superhero side of things, Matt Reeves’ The Batman broke onto the scene and brought plenty of success along with it. Impressively, it’s already spawned ideas for a couple of spin-off series as well, the big one focusing on Colin Farrell’s popular antagonist, the Penguin.
Farrell’s The Penguin spin-off was confirmed for development even before The Batman released in theaters, showing how confident Warner Bros. was in his portrayal by quickly pushing for him to get his own story. This new take will follow Oswald Cobblepot on his rise through the ranks of Gotham’s underworld as he earns the villainous alter-ego that he utilizes in his battles against the Caped Crusader.
Outside of Farrell’s involvement, there isn’t much known about The Penguin at this time, although WBD is working quickly to bring it closer to starting its production schedule.
Well, the team may have taken one of its biggest steps yet towards making that happen by bringing the first director on board to begin his work with the infamous DC antagonist.
The Penguin Spin-Off Adds A Director
Discussing Film revealed that director Craig Zobel is in talks to direct at least one episode of Warner Bros.' upcoming The Penguin, Colin Farrell's The Batman spin-off series that will debut on HBO Max. Zobel is also reported to be an executive producer on the series.
Production for The Penguin is said to begin early in 2023, although it's unclear how many episodes Zobel will be involved in creating.
Zobel Ready for Superhero Run on The Penguin
Craig Zobel is best known recently for his work on seven episodes of Mare of Easttown, which earned 16 Emmy nominations and four wins for its run in 2021, including a win for WandaVision's own Evan Peters. Now, the director's upcoming work on The Penguin will mark his first true jump into the world of superhero TV shows as he brings Colin Farrell's mysterious mobster villain to a more in-depth small-screen story.
He'll work in tandem with The Batman director Matt Reeves on this story, with Reeves already having made major headway after working for so long to bring the Penguin into his own theatrical story earlier in 2022. With the villain only enjoying about 10 minutes of screen time alongside Robert Pattinson and crew, this series will give the character a true chance to shine and show that he means business in the Gotham underworld.
Now, fans continue to wait for more information on how this series will add to The Batman's growing legacy for WBD as Reeves and Zobel add a new chapter to the Penguin's expanding story.
The Penguin will begin filming in early 2023 for its eventual release on HBO Max.
