Cristin Milioti will Co-Star Alongside Colin Farrell in ‘The Batman’ Penguin TV Spin-Off
Milioti is playing Sofia Falcone, daughter of slaughtered Gotham crime boss Carmine and will battle Farrell’s Oz for control of the city.
Cristin Milioti on HBO Max's 'Made for Love.'
We’ve known since before ‘The Batman’ burst into theaters that an HBO Max-based spin-off was in development, one focused on Colin Farrell’s Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, AKA The Penguin from the movie.
It has been moving forward since then and is now adding ‘Palm Springs’ Cristin Milioti to the cast list in a major role.
The series, which has been described as in the style of classic crime drama ‘Scarface’ will pick up the story of ambitious criminal type Oz as he rises to power in Gotham City. Mild spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to see ‘The Batman’, but part of the movie involves Oz’s bosses either dying or heading to jail, leaving him a path to achieve his aims.
Yet given that there’s a whole series to fill with this story, we doubt the road will be an easy one. And there’s still that pesky Caped Crusader lurking around (even if Batman likely wouldn’t appear much in the show).
Milioti, meanwhile, will be Sofia Falcone daughter of the late Carmine (as played by John Turturro in ‘The Batman’). Following his assassination – which Oz orchestrated – Sofia will be competing with Farrell’s character for control of the city’s criminal element.
If she’s anything like her father, this fight will get nasty.
Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Matt Reeves, who co-wrote and directed ‘The Batman’ is an executive producer here, but while he’ll certainly have input (alongside the movie’s fellow producer, Dylan Clark), he won’t be overseeing the day-to-day work of the show. That job falls to Lauren LeFranc, who has worked on series including ‘Agents of SHIELD’, ‘Chuck’ and ‘Hemlock Grove’.
“Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in ‘The Batman’ and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill’” Reeves says in a statement when the show was confirmed. “Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”
Craig Zobel, who last directed ‘The Hunt’ is aboard as another executive producer and to direct the first two episodes, meaning that he’ll help guide the visual tone of the show. Aside, of course from the template already established by Reeves in the movie.
The show doesn’t yet have a premiere date, but it could conceivably drop on the streaming service in late 2023 or early 2024.
And it’s just one of the spin-offs in the works, as Reeves is also trying to develop a series set at Gotham’s infamous Arkham Asylum and has been meeting writers to hear pitches about potential movie spin-offs featuring the Caped Crusader’s expansive rogues’ gallery.
As for Milioti, she’s been busy of late, more on TV than cinema screens, appearing in shows such as ‘Made for Love’ and ‘The Resort’. She’s also been seen on shows including ‘No Activity’ and ‘Black Mirror’.
Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
