A QR code in HBO's The Penguin series actually leads to Gotham's True Face website.
Matt Reeves' first Bat-verse spin-off, of which there are going to be more, just debuted its first episode. The show introduced audiences to the tale of Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb (aka the Penguin) as he seeks to occupy the power vacuum in Gotham City's underworld left behind by the events of 2022's The Batman film.
Fans have been told The Penguin is going to be directly impacted by The Batman's dramatic climax, but how those connections would play out on screen remained to be seen.
The Penguin QR Code Actually Works
Eagle-eyed fans spotted a QR code in Episode 1 of HBO's The Penguin series, eventually discovering it led to a real website.
The QR code in question pops up about two-thirds of the way through the series premiere, as Colin Farrell's titular crime boss, along with his new teenage sidekick Vic (played by Rhenzy Feliz), climb aboard a Gotham City subway car.
It appears on a piece of paper being handed out to fellow passengers by a masked man who seems to be a follower of the now-incarcerated Riddler killer (played by Paul Dano in The Batman).
This code, when scanned, links to the Gotham's True Face website just as the man on the train in the series said it would.
When clicking on the link, it redirects back to the Rataladaa website that was used for some cryptic Riddler-themed marketing in the lead-up to The Batman's initial release (read more about the Rataladaa site and The Batman here).
At the time of writing, a message appears on the Rataladaa site, talking of the start of a "revolution" and that followers should "Meet at the metro outside Crown Point" at 9 p.m.:
XxREIGNITINXx: "Arkham's releasing patients and Blackgate is a mess... no one's really a prisoner in there. Not even our old pal Sal Maroni."
HOLDTHELINE81: "People say they want the truth but they shield their eyes when we shine the light"
DETERMINATOR: "Let's make sure they're not blinded again to the corruption, the killings, the Falcone_power_grab..."
HOLDTHELINE81: "We start in the streets. Tonight at 9 p.m. Meet at the metro outside Crown Point."
Clockbreak3r: "Done and done. The revolution is just getting started."
This seems to be a new message posted to the site as a part of The Penguin's release and could lead to even more cryptic teases appearing as the series continues.
What Does Gotham's True Face Mean in The Penguin?
This QR code appearing in The Penguin and directing fans once again to the mysterious Rataladaa website should show audiences that Matt Reeves and co. were not kidding when they were talking about how closely connected to The Batman the HBO series is.
More than two years ago, The Penguin star Colin Farrell teased that the series would pick up "about a week after The Batman ends," and that is exactly what happened:
"It starts about a week after 'The Batman' ends. So Gotham is still somewhat underwater. I read the first script of the first episode and it opens up with [Oswald Cobblepott] feet splashing through the water in Falcone’s office, which even just that alone when I read it I was like, 'Ahh, geez.'"
The events of Matt Reeves's first Gotham-based will be felt throughout The Penguin's eight-episode run. That is not just related to Oz's story as he becomes embroiled in a twisted battle with the Falcone family.
The fallout of the Riddler killings, as seen in The Batman, will also significantly shape The Penguin's narrative.
Followers of Paul Dano's on-screen killer are still very much present in the world of Gotham City, and they could potentially continue to wreak havoc on the city's most privileged despite their leader being behind bars.
All of this could potentially set up Dano's Riddler to be a part of The Batman Part II. No villain has been announced for that film, but the Riddler and Farrell's Penguin will almost certainly be a part of it.
Fans will have to keep an eye out for more teases from Dano's DC villain online, as there could be some hints at where the franchise is going during The Penguin's HBO run.
The Penguin continues with new episodes airing every Sunday on HBO and Max at 9 p.m. ET.
