Before the blockbuster sequel The Batman Part II hits theaters, the DC universe around Robert Pattinson’s Batman will be expanded with a spin-off series that revolves around the most striking villain of the first part. We are talking about the Penguin aka Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, played by Colin Farrell (Minority Report).
The project has been in development since September 2021. Now the moment of truth has finally arrived. Does The Batman also work as a series? The first reviews are very impressed with the spin-off and are even drawing strong comparisons. The Penguin is said to be the Sopranos of superhero series.
First reviews of The Penguin: The DC blockbuster The Batman meets the TV milestone The Sopranos
Both Collider and Digital Spy have published a comparison of The Sopranos. Both series are immersed in a underworld dominated by shady characters This is where gangsters and other criminals are up to mischief. There are influential mafia families and penniless henchmen – and of course a lot of betrayal and intrigue.
You can watch the trailer for The Penguin here:
The Penguin – S01 Teaser Trailer 2 (German) HD
However, The Penguin does not only live from its characters who want to get at each other, but, just like The Batman, also has a secret star on: Gotham City. Variety highlights the crime-ridden city in particular:
The city of Gotham is also an important character. The Penguin illustrates how corruption, abuse and the accumulation of wealth can suffocate the lives of some citizens while elevating others. The series takes apart the inner workings of Gothamfrom the mayor’s office to the underworld of Oz, and reveals the villainy that manifests and thrives on all levels.It sounds as if the creative minds behind the series have taken another HBO classic as a model in addition to The Sopranos: The Wire. There, too, we learn a City in the fight against crime through different perspectives. The Hollywood Reporter shares another discovery: Oz can carry the story, just not in a fresh way. Therefore, attention will probably be focused on [Cristin] Miliotis Sofia, a character who comes with less baggage from the comics. Sofia resembles a Female character like Cruella/Maleficentwhose dark path is set in motion by the assumptions and limitations of patriarchy. Milioti, strutting around in the series’ best costumes, makes Sofia more believable as a tragic victim and embodiment of everything wrong with Gotham than Oz, a character you pity and fear in equal measure.
The mixture of gangster story and comic book adaptation is much more critically received by Rolling Stone. Despite obvious references, the series too few risks in order to keep up with the TV milestones mentioned above.
But if The Penguin just wants to use the former Oswald Cobblepot to tell a traditional mafia war story, [die Serie] one tell a much more interesting version of itwith a more convincing protagonist […]The penguin’s umbrella not only offers protection from the rain, but also from the expectation that what one knows and likes about the character is worth throwing overboard.
The film magazine Empire disagrees and gives a clear recommendation for The Penguin. Last but not least, the series is worth it if you are interested in Colin Farrell’s impressive interpretation of the figure of which he gave a taste in The Batman:
[The Penguin ist] a spin-off that marks the return to Gotham necessary and deservedwith excellent performances by Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti. When does The Penguin start in Germany?
The first season of The Penguin starts in Germany on 20 September 2024 on Sky and the associated streaming service WOW and includes a total of eight episodes that are broadcast weekly.