How The Penguin Sequence Units Up The Batman 2

This text incorporates spoilers for “The Penguin.”

All through the eight-episode run of the HBO restricted collection “The Penguin” (learn /Movie’s evaluate), the mobster Oswald Cobb (as portrayed by Oscar-nominated actor Colin Farrell) has been clawing his option to the highest of an influence vacuum left behind by the dying of his outdated boss Carmine Falcone through the 2022 movie “The Batman.” Oz, as he is identified, is not the one one making an attempt to take cost in “The Penguin,” with Carmine’s daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti) plotting to take Ozdown for the homicide of her brother along with scheming to introduce the residents of Gotham to a strong new avenue drug impressed by her years-long lockup in Arkham Asylum. However now that “The Penguin” has ended, we need to look to 2026 for “The Batman Half II” to see how the Caped Crusader will deal with a redesigned Mafia. And all we will do now is consider how “The Penguin” concluded and what which will imply for the subsequent chapter in Bruce Wayne’s saga.

It ought to come as no shock (even to outdoors observers) that Ozmakes it out alive of the present, bearing the nasty nickname he landed for his scarred face and gait because of a bodily incapacity. Though Sofia is not a brand new character created for this collection, she’s not remotely as well-known inside and outdoors of the DC Comics universe because the Penguin is, even when Farrell’s model is far grimmer and extra grounded than earlier iterations. But when we started “The Penguin” with even a shred of sympathy for Oz — who typically appears to chop a determine like that of the pathetic Fredo in “The Godfather” trilogy — it is absent by the ultimate picture of the collection, with Ozdancing in his new penthouse condo whereas, outdoors, an all-too-familiar Bat-Sign shines within the evening sky.

A lot of the “Penguin” finale appears to be as a lot about guaranteeing that Farrell will seem in “The Batman Half II” as it’s confirming who will not be there for the brand new movie. In a season stuffed with violence and dying, probably the most stunning of all comes with the brutal strangulation that Ozenacts on his closest ally, Victor (Rhenzy Feliz). In spite of everything their determined wheeling and dealing, all of the machinations to make sure that Ozcould management the drug commerce by stealing Bliss out from Sofia and her enemy-turned-ally Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown), as quickly as Ozhits the apex, he has a young heart-to-heart with Victor that wraps up with him choking the life out of the younger man by way of headlock, suggesting that having true household ties, any severe emotional connection, will solely function an albatross round his neck. That is as a lot an inverse of the Batman-and-Robin dynamic as attainable; Ozgoes it alone and is greater than keen to sacrifice shut relationships alongside the best way.

As stunning as it’s that Victor is offed at Ozs fingers, it is equally stunning to be taught that Sofia does make it out of “The Penguin” alive, though she’s dwelling her personal nightmare as soon as extra, locked up in Arkham Asylum for who is aware of how lengthy. Earlier than, her father Carmine despatched her to Arkham Asylum by giving the police false proof that she was the mysterious Hangman serial killer, murdering younger lady viciously. (In actuality, as we all know from the 2022 movie, Carmine was the killer.) This time, although, Sofia is being despatched to Arkham for a criminal offense she did commit: setting off a large bomb within the Crown Level neighborhood within the penultimate episode, destroying numerous lives within the hopes of killing Oz. Sofia (and the viewers) are below the expectation that when Ozdrives her out to a secluded spot close to the harbor, he is about to shoot her behind the pinnacle. In actuality, he is known as the authorities with the assistance of a unclean councilman, and Sofia has managed to reside one other day. And though we do not know but if Milioti will present up within the large display screen follow-up, she’s acquired one stunning connection that may have been simple to disregard over the course of the collection: her half-sister Selina Kyle, who writes an off-screen letter to Sofia. Though we do not see the contents of that letter, Sofia appears awfully happy to learn it in her cell.

Apart from doubtlessly bridging the hole between one of many heroes of “The Batman” and one in every of this collection’ extra complicated villains (and remember that Arkham is at the moment residence to the Riddler in addition to his cell-mate buddy performed by Barry Keoghan, seemingly the subsequent iteration of the Joker), “The Penguin” has that intriguing tease on the very finish with the Bat-Sign. Though some people could also be dissatisfied that Robert Pattinson does not make a cameo look within the present — neither does Zoe Kravitz — it’s a minimum of made clear that the Batman remains to be kicking round Gotham. We all know from the outset of the primary “Batman” film that he was hyper-focused on taking down drug sellers once they have been passing on Drops to addicts across the large metropolis, so it appears extraordinarily seemingly that he’ll be looking out for the arrival of Bliss now that it is taken over his residence turf.

When the Batman does run up in opposition to the Penguin as soon as extra, he might have to simply accept that the mid-level stooge he attacked within the first movie’s wonderful nighttime car-chase sequence has modified himself a bit. Maybe the most important manner that “The Penguin” units up the incoming “Batman” sequel is that lastly, OzCobb appears the half that all of us have in our minds. Although he might not be dancing round with an umbrella within the remaining moments, he is acquired his tuxedo and tails, he is acquired himself a swanky penthouse, and he appears to be lastly in management. Neither the Maroni household nor the Falcones, each of whom are so recognizable to worldwide audiences and each of whom have brought on the Batman a lot bother over time, are a presence anymore. (Let’s not surprise why it’s that the Batman stayed to this point out of a large gang battle that came about over the course of this present.) Now that the Batman has his Bat-Sign working once more, he and Jim Gordon (one other no-show on this collection) should not simply going to face off in opposition to the robust discuss of Oz, but additionally the amassed teams throughout Gotham Metropolis that he is introduced into the fold.

And because the remaining scenes of “The Penguin” clarify, Ozs ruthlessness has turn out to be much more stunning. The Batman might not understand it, however by now, we’re conscious {that a} younger OzCobb is accountable for the deaths of his two brothers, an act that he solely ever appears barely responsible about having dedicated. And except for killing his protege Victor, Ozhas additionally introduced his senile mom Francis residence, much less as a victory march and extra as an act of drive. By the collection’ finish, Francis is revealed to have identified what Ozdid, to have loathed him for it, and to have did not get him killed by a neighborhood Mafioso. In return, as a lot as Ozis heartbroken that his mom has suffered such a large stroke that she’s primarily a vegetable, he makes her keep in her mattress in an in any other case abandoned and spacious room overlooking the town.

As a result of the Batman and his allies do not make any appearances in “The Penguin,” and references to the 2022 movie are principally few and much between, there’s quite a lot of guesswork about how a lot of “The Penguin” will make itself identified within the 2026 follow-up. What is obvious is that this: OzCobb was an interesting facet character within the 2022 movie, notable as a lot for the outstanding make-up that masked the movie-star attractiveness of Colin Farrell as for the presence of the Penguin in a bigger Mob epic. However now, OzCobb is the person in cost, and that implies that the Batman is inevitably going to have face off with him and his new lackeys. The Penguin might not have the icky flash or intelligence of the Riddler, however he is that uncommon villain who not solely says he is keen to take anybody right down to have energy; he is confirmed over this eight-episode miniseries precisely who he is keen to kill to get what he needs. The Batman must be careful.

“The Penguin” is now streaming in its entirety on Max.