Today, it is clear that The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, was a complete hit. Now classified as an “Elseworld” of James Gunn’s new DC universe, it managed to captivate Batman fans like never before. But its universe did not end with this single film.
Beyond the sequel, which is still in progress and will presumably be filmed in 2025, The Penguin series about Batman’s villain, played by Colin Farrell, will soon be released on Max. In The Batman, the presence of this Penguin was disturbing, and now they are looking to take it to another level. However, the only one who doesn’t seem to have it as clear as the rest is Farrell himself, who doesn’t know if he wants to play the character again.
Grateful, but grumpy
In an interview for Total Film, Farrell was asked if he would reprise the role of the Penguin, and he couldn’t be more honest: “I don’t know, man. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it affected me a bit. In the end, I found myself complaining to anyone who would listen, saying that I wanted it to be over as soon as possible. I tried to remind myself that I was ‘grateful, but grumpy.'”
The reason? Obviously, the makeup. He had to spend hours sitting down putting on the prosthetic face and belly that he wears throughout the series… and for so many episodes, it was a real ordeal. Even so, he is delighted to get into the skin of the Penguin:
“Still, I am grateful and honored. I grew up watching Burgess Meredith [who played the role in the 60s TV series], and then Danny DeVito [in Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns film] was my Penguin, so being part of that narrative’s legacy really made me feel privileged.”
