The Penguin's Colin Farrell explains key character's absence

While theories had circulated about a potential appearance for the Caped Crusader, Oz Cobb actor Farrell has put that speculation to bed.

Explaining the character's absence, he told IGN: "This story takes place over five or six weeks, so it seemed to make sense to the creatives, to Matt [Reeves] and to Lauren [LeFranc], that he didn't need to appear in this.

"And it's a very different side of Gotham, as well. Not that Batman doesn't get his hands dirty in the shadows, of course, but it's a very, very different part of Gotham that I've never seen before. It's really the underbelly of the city and it's down in the gutter."

As Farrell mentions, The Penguin, which is set a week after the events of The Batman, shows a darker side of Gotham, and details Cobb rising through the ranks in the city's criminal underbelly.

But he's got other major figures in the criminal underworld to grapple with - not least Cristin Milioti's Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Carmine Falcone (now played by Mark Strong).

While many reviews have praised the return to Gotham, Farrell was actually delighted to leave the character behind.

When RadioTimes.com spoke to the actor earlier this year, shortly after filming wrapped, he told us: "What an adventure. I never have any idea what any of this s**t is going to turn out to be, that we do over the years. You just keep your fingers crossed and do the best you can…

"It’s dark, The Penguin. It’s so dark. I’m so glad to be done with it, and I loved it, but man I was ready not to sit in the makeup chair anymore when we finished.

"I loved doing the character in the film and this really did get to look, as they say in America, under the hood."

Farrell continued: "In the film, he’s all flash and pizazz and he’s a raconteur and he’s a proprietor at the club, and you get five or six scenes, and I loved it, but this really got to look under the hood and get into his backstory.

"It’s his rise to some version of power that he’s always dreamed of inhabiting, you know? Violent as anything, it’s so dark. I hope it’s good."

The Penguin airs on Sky Atlantic and NOW from Friday 20th September 2024 - find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.

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