The penguin finally debuts on Max on September 19, bringing back Colin Farrell's Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot for his own adventure. Set after the events of 2022 The Batmanwhich saw Gotham City's criminal underworld turned upside down after the death of Carmine Falcone, the new series depicts Cobblepot as he attempts to establish himself as the city's new boss. However, he will not be without his competition in his quest for power, as Falcone's children, Sofia and Alberto, have returned to the city aiming to take over what remains of their father's criminal empire.
Despite years of theories suggesting otherwise, Matt Reeves recently confirmed that Robert Pattinson's Batman Will Not Appear In The penguinAlthough the Dark Knight renewed his commitment to eradicating violent crime in Gotham City at the end of The Batmanit would seem that the events of The penguin will go unnoticed, to keep the city's resident superhero in the dark about Oz's unfolding exploits. While this news may disappoint some fans, the series ultimately doesn't need an appearance from Batman to be successful. However, there is one character who would make more sense as The penguinsurprise cast member.
Catwoman to appear in The Penguin
Selina Kyle has strong connections to several characters from The Penguin
The penguin can expand on another classic Batman villain by bringing back Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman for an extended appearance in season one. In The BatmanSelina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is painted in a more heroic light than other portrayals of the character, as she helps Batman uncover the lies and deceptions plaguing Gotham City. At the end of the film, Selina Kyle reveals that Gotham crime boss Carmine Falcone is her biological father. In revenge for the numerous deaths he has caused, Selina attempts to kill Falcone, but Batman stops her before she can finish the job. Falcone is killed by the Riddler shortly after this encounter, and Selina eventually leaves Gotham City, finding no reason to stay in a place that held such emotional weight for her.
While Batman has little to tie him to the more personal plots of The penguinCatwoman would have elevated the series. The sequel to The Batman deals more deeply with the criminal underworld in Gotham City, particularly with regards to the Falcone family. Knowing that Selina Kyle is Carmine Falcone's illegitimate daughter, it would be interesting to explore the relationship between her and her half-siblings in the series. In particular, Sofia Falcone, who is supposed to be the main villain of the series, would likely see Selina as a threat and try to eliminate her. However, the two half-sisters could potentially find common ground, although Sofia's history as a serial killer could prevent them from having a constructive relationship. However, the presence of Catwoman in The penguin It would raise the emotional stakes for the Falcones, giving the series a chance to better explore its main villains.
How The Penguin Could Bring Back Selina Kyle
Catwoman has left Gotham City, but not for long
Although Selina Kyle left Gotham City at the end of The BatmanIt's unlikely she'll sit out the rest of Matt Reeves' Epic Crime Saga. Sooner or later, Catwoman will eventually find her way back to Gotham City. The penguin could bring Selina home through Sofia's rise to power. If Selina finds out that her half-sister is trying to take over their father's criminal empire, she might be drawn back to Gotham to stop the Falcones from rising again. Selina holds a personal grudge against the Falcones and would view Sofia's rise as a personal affront that she will have to resolve herself. Catwoman may even find herself teaming up with Oswald Cobblepot to destroy the Falcones, which will inevitably give the Penguin more power over the criminal underworld.
Selina Kyle's return to Gotham City could also set her character up for a return to Batman Part IIwhich is scheduled for release in 2026. Zoë Kravitz's portrayal of the classic DC Comics character has been incredibly popular, making it all the more necessary for Matt Reeves to bring her back to Gotham City to participate in the rest of the saga. While she doesn't appear in The penguinaudiences can expect Selina Kyle to appear in another project related to The Batmanwhether it be another spin-off, its own movie, or future installments of the main film series.
Selina Kyle Needs a Future Without Batman
Catwoman could star in her own spin-off in the epic detective saga
The epic crime saga |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Movies/Series |
Year |
IMDb Rating |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
Streaming |
The Batman |
2022 |
7.8/10 |
85% |
Maximum |
The penguin |
2024 |
N/A |
93% |
|
Batman Part II |
2026 |
Soon |
As exciting as it is to imagine another team-up between Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman and Robert Pattinson's Batman, Selina Kyle needs to be able to grow up without the Caped Crusader by her side. For too long, Catwoman has existed in Batman's shadow, with only the abysmal Halle Berry Catwoman film that serves as a solo adventure for the character. An appearance by Catwoman in The penguin It would be the perfect opportunity to explore her character without Batman, developing her as a strong protagonist who could potentially lead her own series.
Fans are ready for another Catwoman spinoff, this time hopefully a lot better than the 2004 flop that scared DC away from female-led superhero films for over a decade. Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman is a strong, compelling character who could easily lead her own series or movie if given the chance. While The penguin could show his return to Gotham, other spin-offs could show his adventures elsewhere, giving the character a strong story arc that isn't necessarily tied to Batman.
The penguin may not include Robert Pattinson's Batman, but it should include an appearance by Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman. The character had a strong debut in 2022 The Batman and has multiple connections to the character in the upcoming Max spin-off. This could be the start of a strong story arc in Matt Reeves' Epic Crime Saga that could lead to Catwoman finally getting her own spin-off.