The Penguin: The Falcone Family Tree, Explained

Here's a breakdown of the Falcone crime family featured in The Batman and its spinoff, The Penguin.

By Kofi Outlaw - September 19, 2024 05:08 pm EDT

The Penguin is expanding the world of The Batman movie – and that includes a much deeper look into the dark world of the Falcone crime empire. As always with the mob, the word "family" takes on double meaning when we're talking about the Falcones: Carmine Falcone has both a family bloodline and organized crime syndicate that get violently intertwined in The Penguin – best to keep it all straight.

The Penguin: The Falcone Family Tree Explained

In short form, here's the bloodline breakdown:

Carmine Falcone – The Don of the Falcone mob and patriarch of the Falcone family. Killed by The Riddler in The Batman.
Mrs. Falcone – Carmine's wife and mother to his children Sofia and Alberto. Additional details currently unknown.
Sofia Falcone – Carmine's daughter, convicted of being the serial killer "The Hangman" and locked away in Arkham for years.
Alberto Falcone – Carmine's son and next in line to inherit the Falcone Crime Syndicate after his father.
Luca Falcone – One of Carmine's blood relatives, and one of the potential candidates to lead the family.
Selina Kyle – Carmine Falcone's illegitimate daughter with Maria Kyle, a waitress at his 44 Below club.

And here are "family" members in the Falcone Crime Syndicate

Johnny Viti – Carmine Falcone's underboss, and another potential candidate to be the new don.
Milos Grapa – Carmine's personal bodyguard and mob enforcer.
Oswald "Oz" Cobb/Penguin – Capo in the Falcone mob and manager of the drops drug trade for the family. Looking to seize power with Carmine now gone.

Carmine Falcone

Carmine Falcone rose to be the underworld ruler of Gotham, with an empire that ran from the top of city hall to the darkest alleys of Gotham's streets. For years, the Falcone Crime Syndicate was at war with the stronger and more established Maroni crime family, led by Carmine's rival, Sal Maroni. However, Carmine finally turned the tables: he had Oz get close to Sal and get information on his drug imports – information that Falcone fed to corrupt officials and cops, who arranged a sting operation that brought down the Maroni syndicate and put Sal in prison for life.

However, Carmine's machinations as both a mob boss and secret federal informant created the path to his demise: his war with Maroni is suspected to have gotten Thomas and Martha Wayne killed, creating The Batman; his affair with a waitress (he later killed) created Catwoman, and his manipulation of the Gotham Renewal fund created The Riddler, the serial killer who ultimately assassinated Falcone.

With his death, Carmine has also started Oz Cobb on the dark path to make "Penguin" the next big boss of Gotham, but there are quite a few wolves in the pack to go through...

Sofia Falcone

Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) is Carmine Falcone's daughter but has been absent from the family business for many years, after being locked away in Arkham State Hospital. According to headlines, Sofia was a serial killer who murdered many women by strangulation, earning her the nickname "The Hangman." With the death of her father, Sofia returns looking to set her family's business in order.

Oswald 'Oz' Cobb

Oswald Cobb (Colin Farrell) is known on the streets as "The Penguin" due to his malformed leg and the wobbling limp it causes. Oz was one of Carmine Falcone's top capos (lieutenants) in the syndicate; he started off as a driver and errand boy, and eventually worked and killed his way to being head of drug distribution for the Falcone mob. Oz also courted many key relationships with powerful figures from the underworld and political world, while owning the Iceberg Lounge, one of the Falcones' most successful nightclub business fronts.

The Penguin chronicles Oz's bid to outwit his fellow gangsters, play sides against one another, lie, steal, and cheat his way to the throne of being Gotham's new crime boss.

Milos Grapa

Milos Grapa (James Madio) was Carmine Falcone's bodyguard and an enforcer for the Falcone Crime Syndicate. He is likely to be the last person you see if he ever comes to pay you a visit...

Alberto Falcone

Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen) is Carmine's son and Sofia's brother. He's in line to takeover the Falcone Crime Syndicate from his late father, but has his own troubles to manage...

Johnny Viti

Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly) was Carmine Falcone's underboss for years, making him the second most powerful figure in the Falcone Crime Syndicate. Although he's not technically part of the Falcone Family by blood, Johnny is still one of the most obvious candidates to replace Carmine as the new boss of Gotham.

Luca Falcone

Luca Falcone (Scott Cohen) is an unspecified blood relative of Carmine Falcone. With Carmine's death, Luca steps up to help maintain control of the family business.

Selina Kyle

The Batman introduced a version of Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) who is Carmine Falcone's illegitimate daughter – born from the mob boss's affair with one of his waitresses (Maria Kyle) working in the Iceberg Lounge/44 Below club. Carmine killed Selina's mother when she was seven years old; during The Batman, she carries out a plan to kill her father and take revenge. Batman stops her from committing murder, and after The Riddler kills Carmine, she leaves Gotham.

That all said, Selina is part of the Falcone bloodline – though it's unclear how many members of the family know it.