Batman's Absence Confirmed in HBO's "The Penguin" Series

Fans of Gotham City, get ready for a new adventure! HBO's upcoming series "The Penguin" is about to hit our screens, but don't expect to see the Caped Crusader swinging through the city this time. Let's dive into what we know about this exciting new show.

From Big Screen to Small: The Batman Universe Expands

Remember the dark and gritty "The Batman" movie that came out in 2022? It starred Robert Pattinson (yeah, the guy from "Twilight" and "Harry Potter") as the brooding hero. Well, this new TV show picks up where that left off, but with a twist.

Instead of following Batman, we're going to see Gotham through the eyes of one of his most famous enemies: The Penguin. Colin Farrell, who played Oz in the movie, is back to waddle through the criminal underworld of Gotham.

Why No Batman? The Show's Creator Explains

You might be thinking, "A Batman show without Batman? What's up with that?" Don't worry, the show's creator, Lauren LeFranc, has a good reason for leaving our hero out of the picture.

LeFranc told SFX magazine:

"I get why people want Batman or think it won't have the same impact without him. But this is different. In Matt's movies, you're up high with Batman, looking down at the city. With Oz, you're down in the streets. You're in the grit and grime. He's looking up, wanting to climb to the top."

A New View of Gotham City

Think of it like this: instead of being a superhero flying above the city, we're going to be right in the middle of Gotham's messy, crazy streets. It's like the difference between looking at a map and actually walking around a new neighborhood.

LeFranc added:

"Gotham is such an interesting city that it deserves to have more doors opened, and we're going to see what's behind them. You're walking down a different street. Batman's ghost is there. Riddler's ghost is there. The ghost of everything that happened in the last movie is there. It's affecting what's going on. And that's exactly where we start."

What to Expect from "The Penguin"

A "Scarface-like" story about Oz's rise in the criminal world

A gritty, street-level view of Gotham City

The aftermath of events from "The Batman" movie

A talented cast including Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Clancy Brown

"The Penguin" will start streaming on HBO on September 19, 2024. It's going to be a wild ride through Gotham's underworld, so don't miss out!