Posted in: HBO, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: gotham, hbo max, matt reeves, Penguin, preview, the batman

The Batman: Penguin Spinoff "Like a 'Scarface' Story" & More Details

With Matt Reeves' Robert Pattinson & Zoë Kravitz-starring film The Batman set to hit screens next month, feedback from early screenings suggests a major "caped crusader" box office blockbuster on the way. And while headlines this week began bringing up the idea of a sequel, Reeves' universe already has two series for HBO Max in development. First, we have the Gotham Police Department-focused spinoff with Giri/Haji creator Joe Barton (Humans, Extinction) serving as showrunner (replacing Terence Winter). And then we have Colin Farrell attached to reprise his role as The Penguin in a spinoff penned by Lauren LeFranc (Impulse, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), with Farrell, Reeves & film producer Dylan Clark executive producing. Now, we're hearing from Clark and Farrell are offering viewers some intel on the show's storyline themes, including what sounds to be a mix of "sequel spinoff" and "prequel spinoff" based on what the two had to say.

Speaking with SFX Magazine, Clark explained that the spinoff's storyline is very much in line with a classic Brian De Palma & Al Pacino film. "We're doing one with Colin [Farrell aka Oswald Cobblepot], seeing Oz rise to power, almost like a 'Scarface' story. It's exciting to do something like that just as a standalone, but it speaks to the character and our movie so that you'll go back to the movie [and say], 'Oh, I see that backstory there, that line refers to this,'" he explained.

Earlier this week, Farrell shared some perspectives on both the series and the character with Entertainment Tonight, where he implied that the series would be picking up threads from the end of Reeves' film. "We have to get into what made him the man he is. And also, it will pick up where this film finished off I think. I think it'll pick up a little short time after the last frame of this film," Farrell explained. "We'll get to go on a little kind of left turn off to the world of Oz and how he's beginning to kind of dream of filling a potential power vacuum that may exist." Though not able to offer many details this early on, Farell revealed why the character is ripe for a deeper dive into what makes him tick. "It's a lovely, lovely character, and explores vulnerabilities. His violence is apparent, his propensity for violence and his ability to use it as a tool is apparent, but [also] to see we all have soft spots. Every single person. And to be able to find that location, dig around it would be fun," he added.

Earlier this month, Reeves offered his thoughts about expanding the film's universe, HBO Max's interest in exploring characters & aspects from the film, and if there could be more spinoffs on the way:

On How "The Batman" Standing On Its Own Helps with Spinoff Ideas: "What I really wanted this movie to do is create a Batverse. You don't do a story and go, 'This is Chapter 1' because you might not get to do Chapter 2. So, the story had to stand on its own. But the thing about it is that the Bat world is so rich with character that as you're starting to come to an end, you can already start thinking about the next thing. Because the idea, of course, is that Gotham's story never ends."

On How HBO Max's Interest in More "The Batman" Led to Penquin Spinoff: "I was thrilled by that. I said [to HBO Max], 'To be honest with you, the thing that was going to be the seeds of what I thought the next story could be in terms of the Penguin is that I saw there being this kind of 'American dream in Gotham' sort of story, almost like Scarface; the rise of this character who we all know will achieve mythic status.' He is underestimated and he's like a time bomb… They were like, 'Oh my God, we're in!' And that was really exciting because, by that point, Colin had already given life to this character."

On What HBO Max Affords Him the Opportunity to Do with The Characters: "I love the idea of doing a story where you're really telling chapters of a character's life the way that 'The Sopranos' did, right? There wasn't anyone story that was Tony Sopranos'. It was all one epic novel about his life. I think that to me is what's thrilling about long-form and the idea of being able to have created this version of the world [in 'The Batman'] and then pull pieces off of that to do this kind of expansive storytelling."

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