‘The Penguin’ Teaser Teases the Villain’s Rise to Power!! Check It Out!!

The dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike may have briefly halted Oswald Cobblepot’s rise to the top last year amid an all too important fight for better wages and protections, but he will be deterred no longer. The Penguin is heading to Max later in 2024 and a new trailer sees Colin Farrell being ruthless on his way up the rungs of the criminal underworld. His eight-part solo spin-off series will finally begin Matt Reeves‘s Bat-verse on the streamer and will set up the story of The Batman – Part II, which hits theaters in 2026.

Executive-produced by Reeves and his production partner Dylan Clark with showrunner Lauren LeFranc penning all episodes, The Penguin promises a street-level view of Gotham City and the criminals that reside there following the events of The Batman. Among those seeking power in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death is his right-hand man, Oz, who sees an opportunity to build an empire in the rubble of his former boss’s domain. However, he’ll have to get his hands dirty to do that. The trailer shows how Oz will begin his ascent into the criminal kingpin Batman fans know and love, showing the obstacles he’ll have to overcome through cunning and strong-arming to finally get his way.

Reeves‘s take on the Batman universe and Oz specifically is a bit more frightening than the more cartoonishly evil versions of the Penguin featured in other films and television series. He’s deeply involved in making The Penguin something that matches the gritty tone of the film, opting for a story closer to something like Scarface. That bleaker Gotham and its many crooked characters are shown off in the new footage, teasing a deeper look into the city’s criminal underworld than ever before.

Who Joins Farrell in ‘The Penguin’?

Farrell will face off against other notorious Gotham crime bosses in The Penguin, including Salvatore Moroni, played by Clancy Brown. One of Falcone’s chief rivals and a constant nuisance to Bruce Wayne, he’ll be back on the streets for the series and ready to make his move now that he’s no longer at the mercy of Falcone. A photo from the set last month featured him alongside Shohreh Aghdashloo, who was brought aboard the series with Michael Kelly and Dierdre O’Connell back in early 2023. Cristin Milioti is also set to star as Carmine’s daughter Sofia Falcone, with Emily the Criminal‘s Theo Rossi rounding out the main cast.