The ensemble of Warner Bros.’ The Batman is gradually beginning to take shape, most recently with the casting of There Will Be Blood and Little Miss Sunshine star Paul Dano as Edward Nygma/The Riddler. Between The Riddler and Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Batman will have quite a few antagonists to fight in the upcoming film — but it sounds like yet another one is on the way. According to a new report from Deadline, the “next order of business” for those involved with the film is to cast an actor to portray Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin.
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To an extent, The Penguin having a role in The Batman has been a bit of an open secret during the past year or so, and was subsequently confirmed in a report this past May. Many had speculated that Jonah Hill could have been in the running for the part before he exited negotiations earlier this week, something that Deadline’s reporting seems to verify. The article also claims that Hill and Dano were not up for the same role, but that Hill might have “fancied” playing The Riddler over The Penguin.
Deadline’s report doesn’t indicate any names that are in the running to play The Penguin, although that certainly hasn’t stopped fans from speculating about who could or should fill the role. Josh Gad has been teasing his interest in the role since 2018, and Jack Black, Nick Frost, and Andy Serkis have all had their hats thrown into the ring in some form or fashion.
The Batman will star Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, with Westworld star Jeffrey Wright lined up to play Jim Gordon. The film will be directed and co-written by Matt Reeves, who has a unique approach for how he wants to portray Gotham City.
“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale.” Reeves previously revealed. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional,” Reeves continued. “It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”
Who would you want to play The Penguin in Matt Reeves’ The Batman? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Joker is in theaters now. Upcoming DC movies include Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.
