It is indeed exciting to see the DC Elseworlds universe growing unhinged by the drama surrounding the DCU, evolving in its own unique way. While the DCU undergoes changes under James Gunn and Peter Safran, the DC Elseworlds projects continue to progress smoothly. One such project, The Penguin, which has been in development for a while, is finally set to debut next month. This series, centered around Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, stars Colin Farrell and has been generating massive anticipation. It essentially carries forward the story from The Batman Part One, as it is set immediately after the events of the Robert Pattinson starrer. However, the biggest question on everyone's mind is whether Pattinson's Batman will make an appearance in the show. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc and Matt Reeves have now addressed this question. 

Will Robert Pattinson Appear in The Penguin?

For those unfamiliar, Colin Farrell reprises his role as The Penguin in this mini-series, a character from Gotham's dark universe. In The Batman Part One, we already saw him play a pivotal role in Matt Reeves' narrative, which focused mainly on Bruce Wayne's perspective. Now, as fans eagerly await the release of The Batman Part Two, set to hit theaters in 2026, they are curious to know if Robert Pattinson might make a cameo as Batman in The Penguin. Unfortunately, there’s a somewhat disappointing update—though nothing is set in stone.

According to Comicbook, Lauren LeFranc has denied the possibility of Robert Pattinson making a cameo as Batman in The Penguin. "I understand why people's desire would be to have Batman, or to think that unless Batman's in a show or a film, it doesn't have the same punch," LeFranc explained. "To me, I think it packs a different punch. Matt's films are through the lens of Batman, so you're high up, looking down on the city. It's a different perspective. With Oz, you're in the city streets, you're in the grit and the muck and the grime. He's looking up, wanting to claw his way to the top. So it's a different experience. I think Gotham is an interesting enough city that it deserves to have more doors unlocked within it, and for us to walk through those and see what we think."

Matt Reeves also weighed in, saying, "I don't feel like it's missing something fundamental. I feel like it's an extension of what is fundamentally there. We know this is the world of Batman. You're going down a different alley. So the specter of Batman is there. The specter of the Riddler is there. The specter of everything that happens in the last movie is there. It informs it. And it's exactly where we begin." However, it’s worth considering that creators sometimes keep major surprises under wraps and may not reveal everything upfront. So, there’s still hope until the Colin Farrell-starrer hits JioCinema.

About The Penguin

Set immediately after the events of The Batman Part I, where parts of Gotham are underwater following the Riddler's attack that flooded the city, The Penguin will see Oz vying for power against foes like Salvatore Maroni (played by Clancy Brown) and Carmine Falcone’s daughter Sofia Falcone (played by Cristin Milioti). The eight-part series is being described as a crime drama that follows Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot’s rise from the shadows to becoming the dreaded Penguin.

The cast of The Penguin also includes Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O'Connell, Michael Zegen, and John Cenatiempo. Michael Kelly will play Falcone family underboss Johnny Vitti, while Michael Zegen will portray Alberto Falcone, Carmine’s oddball son.

The Penguin will begin streaming on September 19, 2024. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more updates and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

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