HBO Max’s “The Batman” spinoff series about the Penguin is turning into a family affair. On Oct. 31, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed to POPSUGAR that Cristin Milioti will be joining the series as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Gotham’s biggest crime boss, Carmine Falcone. In Matt Reeves’s “The Batman” film, actor John Turturro plays Carmine. The Penguin, played by Colin Farrell, is Carmine’s right-hand man, and Farrell and Milioti will costar in the series together. The project is currently titled “The Penguin.”
Reeves’s “The Batman” was released in March with Robert Pattinson as the titular Caped Crusader and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. It was a box-office smash, making over $770 million. During the movie, Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle, reveals that she is also Falcone’s daughter, but it’s unclear if Kravitz will return for “The Penguin” as well.
HBO Max confirmed the spinoff was happening shortly after the movie was released. “The Penguin” apparently takes place shortly after the event of “The Batman,” and the limited series will serve as a sequel. The character of Sofia was first introduced in DC Comics in the 1990s. She’s been portrayed in live action one time before by Crystal Reed in “Gotham.”
In “The Batman,” the Penguin — real name Oswald Cobblepot — is an associate of Carmine who runs the Iceberg Lounge. Farrell disappeared into the role with intricate prosthetics, and though Paul Dano’s Riddler is the film’s central villain, the Penguin is an audience favorite, bringing both car chases and comedic relief. The post-credits scene also teased Barry Keoghan as the Joker in a sequel film.
“I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin,” Farrell said in a statement when the show was announced back in March. “Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
Lauren LeFranc, whose credits include Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Hemlock Grove,” has signed on as writer and showrunner. “I have long been a fan of the world of ‘The Batman,’ and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon,” LeFranc said in March. “I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City — and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?”
The Penguin was first portrayed by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s “Batman” series and later by Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” and, more recently, Robin Lord Taylor in “Gotham.”