The Batman: it's official, Colin Farrel will play the Penguin

Luca Fontana

7.1.2020

Translation: machine translated

New information adds to the mystery surrounding the next Batman movie. Colin Farrell will play the Penguin. His last film appearances were in Fantastic Animals and Dumbo. Finally, photos from the set reveal Colin Farrell's costume.

Actor Colin Farrell will play Oswald Cobblepot aka "The Penguin" in the upcoming Batman titled The Batman. Director Matt Reeves confirms this himself on Twitter.

This confirms rumours about the distribution that have been circulating since November 2019. Shortly before the rumour, actor Jonah Hill was still considered favourite for the role.

Colin Farrel has already been spotted in Penguin costume in photos from the shoot, which recently began in central London. We can therefore expect a theatrical release in June 2021, as predicted by trade magazine Variety.

Here's what the Penguin and Batman could look like!

This isn't the first time director Matt Reeves has surprised the film world. He had already caused a surprise, in the positive sense of the word, with his two films in the Planet of the Apes franchise that were widely applauded by critics. And with each Batman casting, it becomes clear that Mr Reeves is banking on actors you wouldn't instinctively think of for these roles.

Colin Farrell, for example, bears no resemblance to his counterpart, Danny DeVito who played the Penguin on the silver screen before him, or even to the comics' depiction of the Penguin , a chubby little man with a pointy nose.

Of poor quality, the photos from the shoot do not allow Colin Farrel to be clearly identified, however a slim blond man carrying an umbrella, the Penguin's trademark, can be made out, suggesting that this is indeed the Irish actor.

The same goes for Robert Pattinson, who will play Bruce Wayne, aka Batman: of rather slender stature, he does not, at first glance, seem the most suited to the role. The British actor has, however, received excellent reviews for his role in The Lighthouse and will soon appear in Christopher Nolan's film Tenet scheduled for July 2020. R. Pattinson's Batman costume, meanwhile, should remind you of Lee Bermejo's designs.

Also worth mentioning is Andy Serkis as Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth.

. Zoë Kravitz playing Selina Kyle, as a jewel thief and incidentally Batman's lover, aka Catwoman...

. Jeffrey Wright as the honest Commissioner James Gordon...

.Paul Dano as the mysterious lover, Edward Nigma aka the Sphinx...

. John Turturro as mob boss Carmine Falcone...

. and Peter Sarsgaard in an as yet unidentified role. Presumably he will play Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, ex-Democrat and villain.

One thing is for sure, Matt Reeves' Batman will rely on a number of talented actors.

Setting locations and funeral scene

The fictional Gotham City will come to life in London, but also in the studios Pinewood, the shooting studio for almost all the films in the James Bond and Star Wars franchises. Robert Pattinson has also already shot scenes there for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as the actor revealed in an interview for The Guardian.

Part of the film will also be shot in the studios Cardington Sheds. A large funeral scene with around 500 extras included. Probably the funeral of Bruce Wayne's parents. Construction of the backdrops showing the interior of a cathedral is already in full swing. Filming will begin in February 2020; the search for extras is underway.

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Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more