Lauren LeFranc, the creator and showrunner of The Penguin, has addressed the speculations about whether Robert Pattinson’s Batman will appear in a cameo in the upcoming series. However, her answer is likely bound to disappoint some fans. Here’s what LeFranc said about the cast of The Penguin as well as the possibility of a Batman cameo.
The Penguin showrunner on whether Robert Pattinson will appear as Batman
Lauren LeFranc clarified in a recent interview that Batman from Matt Reeves’s 2022 movie The Batman will not appear in The Penguin. She went on to explain the dichotomy between her show and Reeves’ films (a sequel to The Batman is currently in development) and how that deters Batman’s potential appearance in the series.
“I understand why people’s desire would be to have Batman, or to think that unless Batman’s in a show or a film then it doesn’t have the same punch,” LeFranc told SFX. “To me I think it packs a different punch. Matt’s films are through the lens of the Batman, so you’re high up, looking down on the city. It’s a different perspective. With Oz, you’re in the city streets, you’re in the grit and the muck and the grime. He’s looking up, wanting to claw his way to the top,” she added.
LeFranc also underscored that Gotham is an interesting fictional space to explore new narrative areas. “So it’s a different experience I think Gotham is an interesting enough city that it deserves to have more doors unlocked within it, and for us to walk through those and see what we think,” she stated.
The Penguin is a spin-off series that revolves around Colin Farrell’s eponymous character from The Batman. It reportedly takes place on the week after the events of the movie and centers around how Oswald “Oz” Cobb / Penguin, a prominent member of Batman’s rogue galley, becomes a powerful figure in the criminal underworld of Gotham. The show’s cast also includes Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, and Michael Kelly as Johnny Vitti.
