The Penguin Cast & Showrunner On Exploring Sofia Falcone And Expanding The DC Universe

ScreenRant gets the details about what to expect throufgh the rest of The Penguin season 1 with the DC TV cast and team at New York Comic Con 2024. Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe is having another success through the expansion of the franchise in the world of television. Starring Colin Farrell once again as Oz Cobb, The Penguin TV show is becoming one of the biggest hits of 2024 for not just Warner Bros. Discovery but also in the television genre as a whole.

At the time of this story’s publication, The Penguin season 1 is only a handful of episodes away from finishing its run for the limited series. Following The Penguin episode 4 ending, the stakes are higher than ever for Oz. Now that Sofia knows what The Penguin has been up to behind her back this whole time, Gotham City is about to witness another big crime war. How Oz will find his way out of this remains to be seen, especially as Farrell gets ready to reprise the role in The Batman – Part II in 2026.

The Penguin cast and creative team joined ScreenRant at the exclusive media suite at this year’s New York Comic Con (which is partnering with the outlet for live streams of major panels) as Joe Deckelmeier got the latest on what fans can expect for the rest of the season of The Batman universe spinoff show. Throughout the interview, the members preview the remaining four episodes of the HBO drama while also reacting to theories about larger ties to the DC canon. Participating from The Penguin were Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone,) Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar,) Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb,) Michael Marino (makeup designer,) and Lauren LeFranc (showrunner/executive producer.)

The Penguin Showrunner Lauren LeFranc Gives Insight Into Sofia Falcone

“I thought a lot about Rosemary Kennedy, just in terms of the moves that happen…”

ScreenRant: Lauren, what was the inspiration behind making such a significant change to Sofia Falcone’s character from the comics?

Lauren LeFranc: I wanted to just put my own stamp on the show and just do something different, and really wanted to create a character like Sofia for a long time. She’s a woman that I wished I had when I was younger and still now as an adult wish I had, and I’m glad I do have her. So that was a big inspiration. I thought a lot about Rosemary Kennedy just in terms of the moves that happen in [episode] 4 and how Sofia goes into Arkham innocent rather than someone who actually is insane and just wanted to flip that on its head and kind of put it on the audience too, of like you thought she was crazy just like all these other people did. But now, what do you think of her now that you know the truth?

Rhenzy Feliz On Victor’s Potential DC Connections In The Penguin

Rhenzy, there’s been a lot of fan speculation online about Victor turning out to be somebody from DC Comics. I’ve seen Tim Drake and Jason Todd thrown around out there. Is there anybody that you think he would be on that front, and do you want to share your own theory about that?

Rhenzy Feliz: Well, I think it is fun that the people [are] having fun with it a bit. We saw this comic book cover almost that was sort of reminiscent or very close to an old time cover with Batman and Robin, so that was kind of fun just in general getting to see what people are saying. But [for] now, I’ll keep my theories close to the chest about anything I’m thinking. But it’s fun to see.

Deirdre O’Connell On Frances Cobb’s Influence On Her Son

Deirdre, Francis is so demanding of Oz. How do you think that affects him as the show progresses, and do you think there’s anything Oz can do to satisfy his mother and make her proud?

Deirdre O’Connell:Yes! [laughs] Does he do it? You’ll find that he takes me a little too, literally. So he does follow all of the steps that I ask him to follow. But you’ll see he does it with an edge that, I [Francis] should have been more specific about what I wanted. Let’s put it that way! [laughs]

Michael Marino On The Evolution Of The Penguin’s Prosthetics & Colin Farrell’s Performance

“He’s really analyzed what to do, what expressions are best, and how he can move it.”

Right now, The Penguin raises the bar on all fronts, and prosthetics is no different. Oz’s emotion comes through so clearly in the prosthetics. how has the prosthetics evolved from The Batman to The Penguin, and how do you keep Colin’s performance so captured so incredibly well through the prosthetics?

Michael Marino: Well, it really is based on the design of the film, and we had a success with that. So that was kind of our testing ground there, so [there were]further refinements, little bits, and pieces that I wanted to refine colorwise and placement of things. Technically, what’s different now – on the film, it was extremely challenging because Colin had a weight fluctuation through the whole film. He started out heavier, he lost a lot of weight, and so now we’re in a consistent phase and he’s learned how to use the makeup.

He’s really analyzed what to do, what expressions are best, and how he can move it. He’s a master of moving the makeup because it is a magic trick, and it takes a little effort to make sure all the expressions come through and what looks good and what does not. What he’s becoming a master of [is] moving this makeup. It is truly alive when he’s in there.

Will The Penguin Season 2 Happen,Given Season 1’s Success?

I love living in this side of Gotham City. Do you foresee a possibility of The Penguin season 2 happening, and are there more Penguin or Gotham stories that you want to tell?

Lauren LeFranc: Gotham is ripe to tell so many stories, the comics have shown that through decades and decades. I love this version of Gotham too. I love all the characters that we’ve gotten to explore in this world. I think there’s always room for more of that. If the story can be even better, absolutely.

More About The Penguin Season 1

Starring Colin Farrell as The Penguin, the eight-episode DC Studios drama series continues The Batman epic crime saga that filmmaker Matt Reeves began with Warner Bros. Pictures’ global blockbuster “The Batman,” and centers on the character played by Farrell in the film. The first look was revealed today exclusively during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles. The previously announced cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre O’Connell, with Clancy Brown and Michael Zegen recurring.

The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro. Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, THE PENGUIN is produced by Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. 6th & Idaho’s Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer and Rafi Crohn is co-executive producer.

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Source: Screen Rant Plus

Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.

Cast

Colin Farrell , Cristin Milioti , Rhenzy Feliz , Michael Kelly , Shohreh Aghdashloo , Deirdre O’Connell , Clancy Brown , James Madio , Scott Cohen , Michael Zegen , Carmen Ejogo , Theo Rossi

Release Date

September 19, 2024

Seasons

1

Showrunner

Lauren LeFranc

Prequel

The Batman (2022)

Avg Episode Length

60 Mins

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