Colin Farrell has said he’s not sure he’s up for a second season of The Penguin because it’s really hard wearing all of the required prosthetics. It takes a whole lot of time and effort to transform him into the much larger Oz Cobb. But while Farrell grew tired of wearing all that extra bulk by season’s end, he still appreciates how his makeup team went the extra mile to make sure he had all the…girth…he need in the show’s premiere. The Penguin star said even though we didn’t see it, he was wearing an anatomically correct little penguin during his nude scene.

The Penguin‘s first episode ended with a naked Oz Cobb tied to a chair. Sofia Falcone had him tortured while questioning him about her brother’s murder. While a fantastic scene on its own, it really highlighted just how talented the show’s hair and makeup really are. We got to see all of Oz in all his glory. Mostly. Though completely naked we didn’t see the Penguin’s personal…south pole. Turns out if we had we would have seen a properly sized henchman for the character.

Farrell told Variety the show’s prosthetics designer Michael Marino was “kind enough to make Oz, shall we say, anatomically correct.” Marino did that by constructing a “velcro piece to stick on” to Farrell’s other body prosthetics. And as if that wasn’t enough, for extra naked authenticity, Farrell shared his character was also sporting “a nice retro bush.”

That’s how we looked after reading that. If you need a moment/lifetime to get over knowing this information, so do we. So. Do. We.

As for actually filming as a nude Oz Cobb, Farrell said it was “strange” and “discomforting.” Even though he wasn’t actually naked, he felt as though he was. In-between takes he asked for a towel to cover up because he “felt incredibly exposed,” even though he knew he was anything but.

Would he have felt that way without his phony phallus? Maybe. Maybe not. Unless he returns for a second season and films another nude scene without one on we will never know. What we do know is we’ve already thought about the Penguin’s penis too much already.

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The universe of Matt Reeves’ The Batman is expanding exponentially. Separate from the DCU involving the other DC heroes, Reeves’ world is hyper gritty, and focused solely on the world of Gotham City. And the first project of this new The Batman-verse is a Max (formerly HBO Max) series focusing on Oswald “Oz” Chesterfield Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin.

Recently, showrunner Lauren LeFranc revealed an interesting tidbit about why one character, Carmine Falcone, was recast. John Turturro played the character in The Batman, but in The Penguin, Mark Strong will play him instead. LeFranc reveals:

Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn’t make it work, but honestly, I’m so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on. I think he’s really good. Even though, maybe in the beginning when you first meet him, you might think, “Oh. Well, for fans of The Batman, I’m so used to John Turturro,” and obviously John’s a great actor, but I feel like the gravitas that Mark brings, it’s different. It’s very specific, and I hope, by the end of that episode, you’re just thinking, “That’s Carmine Falcone,” and you’re engaged in what Mark brings to it.

There you have it.

Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming The Penguin series centered on the so-called criminal King of Gotham, once again played by Colin Farrell.

Title

The title of the series is simply The Penguin.

The Penguin‘s Plot

Based on early statements, it seems the plot of the series focuses on Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as he rises in the ranks of Gotham’s underworld, and becomes a power player. It will take place in the aftermath of the flooding of Gotham City, as seen in the final act of The Batman. Here’s what producer Matt Reeves had to say about the show’s premise:

Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman. Having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill. Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.

The Batman spinoff show does have a confirmed timeline and a bit more about its plot. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, showrunner Lauren LeFranc confirms that The Penguin takes one week after The Batman‘s events. We’re in Oz’s world,” LeFranc says. “We’re living in the underbelly of the city. Oz is a mover and a shaker. He can’t always be trusted. He’s very smart and very methodical, but he’s also extremely impulsive. You can’t predict what he’s going to do.”

LeFranc confirms that the show will be a bridge between The Batman and its upcoming sequel in 2026. As we already know, this all exists in its own universe, now known as the “Batman Epic Crime Saga.” …Okay.

Colin Farrell says we will get into his villain’s backstory and personal life, including Oz’s relationship with his mother and with Carmine Falcone’s daughter Sofia. She’s fresh from Arkham Asylum and ready to add her madness into the mix. “They’re two survivalists who’ve been immersed in worlds of duplicity and defeat and violence,” Farrell said about Sofia and Oz. “They’re very suspicious. They also have a very personally connected backstory.”

Additionally, Farrell shares of The Penguin series:

It’s dark, that’s what I can tell you about it. It’s really dark. It’s really heavy, I think – it certainly was doing it. Which is not to say I didn’t have fun, I had an amazing time doing it. It’s incredibly violent.

It’s one man’s rise to what he’s always dreamed of inhabiting which is a certain power or social status. The death of Carmine Falcone at the end of [The Batman] the film, leaves this vacuum in Gotham to be filled and so there are various people that are grabbing for that power and this is Oswald’s journey trying to rise to the top through extraordinary obstacles.

The series will have eight episodes.

Behind the Scenes

Lauren LeFranc will write the script for the series and serve as showrunner. The Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Dylan Clark will serve as executive producers, along with star Colin Farrell. Reeves won’t be directing, at least not early on. Directing an early episode is Craig Zobel.

The Penguin‘s Cast

In the title role is the returning Colin Farrell. Also in the cast is Cristin Milioti as the female lead of the show, Sofia Falcone.

In addition, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Zegen, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, David H. Holmes, and Theo Rossi will also appear.

Most recently, we learned that Clancy Brown has joined the cast as Salvatore Maroni. Worth noting, in the comics, Maroni was responsible for throwing acid at Harvey Dent. This, of course, led Dent to become Two-Face. This could be an interesting way to bring the iconic villain into The Batman‘s world.

The Penguin‘s Release Date

The Penguin will officially come to Max on September 19.

Originally published November 9, 2022.

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Oz Cobb is coming to HBO, but like a true supervillain he’s arriving on his own terms. The Batman spinoff series starring Colin Farrell is launching with a very weird release schedule. The Penguin will debut on both the network and Max at nine p.m. on Thursday, September 19. But rather than stick with that night, the way most shows only air on a specific day of the week, it’s immediately moving to another. Starting with the second episode new installments will air Sunday night during one of the most sacred spots in all of television.

Oz Cobb is ready to take over Gotham, HBO, and Max with The Penguin‘s highly anticipated first episode. I’ve seen it and thought it was excellent. Unfortunately those who agree with me will have an extra few days to wait before getting the next one. Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed that instead of sticking with a Thursday night release schedule, the show will instead slide over to the nine p.m. slot on Sundays nights.

That’s excellent news for the series and how the company feels about it. HBO’s nine p.m. Sunday slot is the network’s most prestigious place on the TV calendar. That time slot has been home to revered mega hits like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and countless other critical and ratings darlings.

But if HBO is so high on The Penguin, why not just start the show on Sunday? Why kick things off on a Thursday? Some viewers will inevitably be upset when they turn on their TVs seven days later only to realize episode two isn’t on. Just as some will tune in the night of September 29 confused by a show “starting” with its second episode.

It’s chaos! Like Gotham City after the Riddler destroyed the sea wall!

Okay, maybe waiting three extra days is not that chaotic, but we doubt this would be happening if Carmine Falcone was still in charge. Oz Cobb has his work cutout for him if he wants to be in charge.

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The Penguin didn’t even get a chance to premiere before a potential second season seemed unlikely. That had nothing to do with early critical reaction to the spinoff series, though. (Initial reviews are stellar.) It’s not because Warner Bros. Discovery has budget concerns, either. (At least not yet/we hope.) It’s because star Colin Farrell isn’t sure he can keep wearing all the prosthetics the role requires. He told GamesRadar that by the end of season one he found himself saying, “I never want to put that f***ing suit and that f***ing head on again.”

As much as we love the character, we don’t blame him. Fortunately, there’s a way for him to continue living in Gotham without having to first spend hours in a makeup chair. His Oswald Cobblepot can instead transform into Emperor Penguin, an alternate version of the Batman villain who is a DC Comics character whom Colin Farrell naturally looks like.

Colin Farrell was definitely not the most obvious choice to play The Penguin in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, but he turned out to be an inspired one. The Irish actor completely disappeared into the role of the street-wise American mobster. His Oz was equal parts frightening and funny, an unforgettable presence who fit perfectly into Reeves’ version of Gotham City. Farrell didn’t do that alone, though. World-class movie magic helped him physically transform into the role. If no one told you Colin Farrell was the one waddling around underneath those scars and body you would have never known it was him. His own co-star John Turturro didn’t even believe it was him!

Obviously, all those prosthetics take a lot of time and patience to put on every day. Acting in them also takes a lot of extra energy. There’s also a big difference in how many total days you have to wear them as a supporting character in a single movie compared to when you’re the titular star of an eight-episode TV show. It’s no surprise Farrell was beyond tired of the whole process after shooting The Penguin. It’s more surprising he ever agreed to do it in the first place.

While Reeves has already said The Penguin will appear in The Batman 2, that doesn’t mean Farrell will sign on for a second season of his spinoff show. Not if it will mean many more months wearing those heavy prosthetics. But what if he doesn’t have to? There’s a way to do exactly that. Reeves and the show could let the actor appear with his own face if they adapt the story of Batman villain Ignatius Ogilvy.

Ignatius Ogilvy is a lesser-known DC Comics villain who has something very important in common with Bruce Wayne. He saw his parents killed outside a theater. His dad was a small-time crooks. But while he never stepped out of line, that didn’t get him ahead. Nor did it save his life. Ignatius never forgot the hard lessons he learned from his father’s life. They drove his own ambition as he built an underworld career.

As a kid, Ignatius joined The Penguin’s crew. In his low-level henchman role he battled with (and lost to) Batman multiple times. Eventually he rose to become Oz Cobblepot’s most trusted, favorite lieutenant. But Ignatius wanted more, and when the opportunity presented itself he took it. He usurped The Penguin’s entire criminal empire from his boss. He then named himself Emperor Penguin and started taking drugs that gave him super strength and abilities.

Before his skin turned blue and he became known as Emperor Blackgate, Ignatius Ogilvy also just so happened to look exactly like a blonde-haired Colin Farrell.

Colin Farrell did not look like an obvious choice to play Oz Cobblepot. Yet he looks like he was born to play Ignatius Ogilvy.

Matt Reeves and the writers of The Penguin don’t have to kill off Oz to make the switch. They certainly could have Farrell double dip until Ignatius replaces The Penguin entirely. Or they could simply adapt Emperor Penguin’s story. The Penguin is trying to becoming Gotham’s unquestioned underworld boss. That will make him the #1 target of Batman. If Oz gets what he thinks he wants, he might quickly find himself in need of a new identity and face. His newfound riches could make that possible with some pricey plastic surgery. It might be easier to rebuild his empire as Ignatius than it would be to keep it as Oz.

Colin Farrell’s The Penguin is a memorable comic book villain. His look, which gives him an imposing presence and identity, is a big reason why. But as much as we love his Oz and want him to come back for multiple seasons and movies, if those prosthetics prove too much to work with, we’ll gladly take Farrell’s version of Emperor Penguin instead. Especially if they end up being the same person anyway.

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Warner Bros. Pictures recently shared bad news for fans of Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne. It has delayed Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel for another year. It won’t arrive in theaters until 2026. How can admirers of the Caped Crusader survive the wait? By spending it with Gotham’s new criminal kingpin. Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot is getting his own spinoff series at Max, and The Penguin‘s first trailer is a violent look at how he’ll establish his own underworld empire in Batman’s backyard.

Colin Farrell is back with a whole lot of makeup and bravado as one of the Dark Knight’s most iconic villains. But in Matt Reeves’ cinematic universe, the Penguin is not yet the powerful figure we know him as. As we see in this trailer for The Penguin, that’s about to change. With the death of Carmine Falcone, Gotham’s sinister underworld has a big void. This trailer is the first step in Oswald Cobblepot’s plan to be the man who fills it.

In addition to Farrell’s memorable, intimidating, and hilarious villain, the show also stars Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, and Michael Zegen. We see glimpses of them in The Penguin‘s teaser trailer but we’re excited to see more.

The series comes from creator, writer, and showrunner Lauren LeFranc. She also serves as an executive producer on the show along with Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Craig Zobel, and Bill Carraro. Zobel also directs the first three episodes of the eight-episode season.

Batman comic book fans will also recognize another powerful mob boss referenced in this trailer for The Penguin. “Oz Cobb” mentions an old-school gangster from his neighborhood, Rex Calabrese. While that’s a fun Easter egg (at least), it’s also a reminder of just how long Gotham has dealt with corruption. Every generation has its own underworld figures who rule the streets. Now The Penguin will show us how this era got its own when it debuts at Max this fall.

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There are many male archetypes I love in TV and movies. There’s the (mostly) quiet and/or brooding guy who is hella stylish and can whup anyone’s butt, like John Wick. He’s silent but deadly. I also love a murder mystery with an absolutely brilliant (and perhaps chaotic) yet mysterious detective at its center. So you bet I’m totally into the obviously hot Colin Farrell playing a detective who can hold his own in a fight. And he’s wearing a classic black suit, a staple in any gentleman’s closet. His name is John Sugar, but there’s nothing sweet about this trailer for Apple TV+’s upcoming series Sugar. 

Sugar takes us to Los Angeles and into the life of Farrell’s character John, who knows how to find a missing person. He’s full of secrets, ready to shoot, a little flirty, a lot brooding, and obviously a dog lover. A movie is almost always made better by a dog because dogs are awesome. These facts (and the trailer) are enough to make me want to watch Sugar when hits streaming. But here’s a synopsis to help you decide: 

Starring and executive produced by Farrell, “Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.

What Is the Premiere Date for Apple TV+’s Sugar?

Sugar’s first two episodes of its eight episode season will hit Apple TV+ on April 5. The remainder of the season will see new episodes release every Friday.  

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Matt Reeves’ version of Gotham City in The Batman was my favorite of all the cinematic outings. That movie got the mix of heightened comic bookery and crime drama, I think has been sorely missing. While the Riddler was the major supervillain of the film, and Carmine Falcone proved a sneaky sub-villain, it was Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot that was the most fun. What a relief that the Max spinoff series The Penguin is still happening. The streamer shared an “in-production teaser” for The Penguin series, which will drop in 2024. It already has us hyped.

From this teaser, we can already see the power vacuum in place in Gotham’s criminal underworld after Falcone’s death. The Penguin wants to step in this teaser, but he’s by no means the only player. We know Cristin Milioti will play Sofia Falcone, Carmine’s daughter. She and Oz have a drink, and it’s possible she’ll back to play, or at least partner, with him. We also know mother-effing Clancy Brown will play Salvatore Maroni, the rival crime boss to Falcone and the one Falcone lied to Bruce Wayne about having killed his parents. Maroni also, in comics lore, was the one who tossed acid in Harvey Dent’s face.

The rest of the cast includes Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Deirdre O’Connell, with Michael Zegen recurring. The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro.

We cannot wait to see the powerplays, back-stabbing, and Sopranos-esque intrigue of The Penguin when it drops next year. Gotham will never be the same.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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It was a big surprise when they announced Colin Farrell as the Penguin for The Batman. But after seeing the movie, we absolutely buy it. Big time. Also on board for this new Farrell version of Oswald Cobblepot is HBO Max, who, have officially commissioned a series based on the iconic DC villain. This is the second The Batman spinoff for the streamer, who is also developing an Arkham Asylum series.

Most recently, Deadline revealed that Cristin Milioti has joined the Penguin series as the female lead of the show, Sofia Falcone. The publication shares that Sofia Falcone is the “daughter of Carmine Falcone, who was played by John Turturro in the film. Sofia is fighting with The Penguin (Farrell) for control of the city.”

Here’s what we know about this Colin Farrell Penguin spinoff series.

The current working title is, go figure, The Penguin, though that could change. Lauren LeFranc will write the script for the series and serve as showrunner. The Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Dylan Clark will serve as executive producers, along with Farrell. However, Matt Reeves will not be directing the movie, per Colin Farrell.

The Penguin‘s Timeline

Though initial reports before the movie’s release made it seem like an origin story for Oswald Cobblepot, the official announcement confirms it’s a continuation of The Batman.

Matt Reeves said in a statement:

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.  Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.

LeFranc had this to say:

“I have long been a fan of the world of The Batman, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot? I am thrilled to work with Colin, Matt, Dylan, 6th & Idaho, Warners, and HBO Max as we work to bring this story to the screen.”

Additionally, Farrell notes that The Penguin “starts about a week after the film The Batman ends. So Gotham is still somewhat underwater… I read the first script for the first episode, and it opens up with my feet splashing through the water in Falcone’s office. Even just that alone, I read it, I was like, ‘Oh, jeez.’ It’s lovely. It’s so well-written.”

The Penguin‘s Batman Universe

Hopefully, the show will feature other Bat villains. Perhaps some that aren’t prominent enough to have a starring role in a Batman movie on their own. (We’re rooting for you, Ventriloquist and Scarface)! HBO Max is doubling down on their DC Comics-based shows. They’ve got James Gunn’s Peacemaker series, a Green Lantern show in pre-production, as well as a J.J. Abrams-produced Justice League Dark. This is on top of shows like Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn. We’d love to see new and familiar faces in this Colin Farrell Penguin series.

When the Penguin series eventually debuts, it will make three different Batman universes on the same platform. Titans feature many Gotham-based heroes, and they say the upcoming Batgirl movie is to be in the DCEU. Meanwhile, there will be two separate series tied to The Batman. Once upon a time, this might have confused general audiences. But we’re living in a Multiverse-savvy popular culture now. No word yet as to when Penguin’s solo series debuts, but per Deadline, it aims to begin production in February 2023.

Originally published December 6, 2021.

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Colin Farrell is in The Batman as the Penguin. He’s been promoting the movie and his name even appears prominently in the credits. But we never see the actor we all know and love on-screen. At least in any recognizable sort of manner. It turns out the Penguin makeup job was so convincing one of Farrell’s costars didn’t realize it was him.

The After Yang actor plays Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin, one of crime boss Carmine Falcone’s associates and operator of the Iceberg Lounge. Several of Farrell’s scenes feature other Gotham City criminals like Falcone, played by John Turturro. Before the film’s release, Farrell’s transformation into the scarred mobster was a major talking point. But it was apparently so convincing in person that Turturro didn’t realize he was staring at Farrell.

The actor told The Hollywood Reporter, “I had no idea it was him. I just thought he was some rough-looking guy. I was just staring at him. It was pretty incredible.”

Interestingly, Matt Reeves revealed that when Colin Farrell was cast as the Penguin, he was never supposed to be buried under makeup and prosthetics. Reeves told Variety he envisioned Oz as something of a Fredo-like character (John Cazale’s character from The Godfather) in The Batman‘s universe. He was already working with prosthetic makeup artist Michael Marino on designing the right Penguin-esque nose for Farrell. However, the prosthetic makeup look soon expanded after Farrell, who’d gained weight for a role, told Reeves he needed to lose it for his own health reasons.

Obviously, The Batman isn’t a fantastical superhero film. It’s a very grounded, street-level look at Gotham City and its inhabitants. So its villains couldn’t look cartoonish. Luckily Marino’s Penguin design fits in with that grounded look Reeves envisioned while allowing for a very dynamic performance from Farrell.

But while Farrell is under a lot of prosthetics and Batman himself hides behind a cowl, Carmine Falcone is also hiding behind a mask. Turturro told The Hollywood Reporter that he wanted the mob boss to have a mask of his own. For Falcone, it’s the tinted glasses. He said, “I thought, ‘I need a mask.’ And then I went to the lady where I buy all my vintage glasses and I found these glasses [worn in the film], and Matt loved them. Because a lot of those guys did wear dark glasses when they testified.”

It’s a small but very telling accessory. One that adds to the air of menace and destruction around Falcone. Even if, as The Batman suggests, his reputation is just partially what it is—an unsubstantiated reputation.

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*Pulls up a chair, spins it backwards, and sits on it like a cool teacher* So you’ve seen The Batman. Now that you’ve watched Matt Reeves’ dynamic and original take on the Caped Crusader you might have some questions. So we—like the Bat answering a riddle—are here to do just that. We’re going to break down where we left each character and where you can expect to see them next. Like the most fun of pieces, this’ll be a mix of confirmed continuity and a little bit of theorizing. When will we see The Batman sequels and spinoffs? Strap in to your Batmobile of choice and let’s dig into what we know and what we’d like to see in the future of Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe.

Batman

Matt Reeves said from the outset that his Batman story wasn’t an origin. And although the film doesn’t deal with the overdone death of his parents, it does give us an origin for a new version of Batman. Bruce begins here as a dangerous recluse. His coping mechanism is beating the living hell out of people in his city. When we meet him he’s been active for two years and knows that he’s only making things worse. By the end of the film he’s had a realization: to help Gotham he actually has to… help. It’s a moving moment and the first time we’ve seen an onscreen Batman really reckon with how he can make things better in his city. So we leave Batman in a broken world where he wants to do better and be a part of his community in a way he never has been.

The Batman ends on a surprisingly hopeful note. But nothing is that simple in Gotham. With the arrival of the Joker in Arkham and the destruction of Gotham, it’s not going to be an easy road. Bruce’s journey forward will likely be based on battling with his darkest instincts as he tries to do better while facing down against a number of violent and cruel villains. He’s facing a Gotham with no leadership and plenty of people who will want to grab it. Can Bruce stay true to himself and his new approach to crime fighting? The other biggest question is when will he see Selina again? We’re expecting her to return to his world sooner rather than later, perhaps in a sequel to The Batman. Though whether she’ll return to Gotham to save him or he’ll head to Bludhaven to visit her is yet to be seen… whatever happens, the Bat and Cat will reunite!!

Catwoman

After connecting with Bruce, finding justice for Anya, and escaping the clutches of her mob boss father, Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is understandably ready to leave Gotham. Of course, she wants Bruce to go with her. Sadly, he’s already spoken for as Gotham’s protector, so Selina heads off on her own. According to the femme fatale, she may visit Bludhaven, a famed DC Comics location where she may come across a certain Dick Grayson…

While she doesn’t currently have a spinoff confirmed, Matt Reeves is open to the notion. “We have a lot of ideas for things we want to do and for sure, we want Selina to continue,” Reeves shared. “To me, their relationship and what they are to each other, that’s the heart of [this] movie.” That fact is also why if we get a follow-up/sequel to The Batman you can expect Selina to return. Though we’d also love to see her in a movie or The Batman spinoff series of her own, she deserves it! And she hasn’t yet taken on the Catwoman mantle…

Jim Gordon

One of Batman’s only true allies in Gotham, Jim Gordon will be a vital part of the franchise going forward. Not only did Jeffrey Wright deliver the best on-screen Gordon we’ve ever seen, but he will likely be a part of the previously announced spinoff show. Previously, this show was about the GCPD. In 2020 I wrote about how the show should only exist if it’s about the dismantling of Gotham PD. At the time it felt both logical, right, and a complete and utter long shot. However, now this show has evolved into something else. Which makes sense,  because Matt Reeves essentially already disbanded the police as it existed by the end of The Batman.

Bella Reál

Although her screen time was fleeting, Jayme Lawson’s Bella Reál is a key player in The Batman. She’s the only one who says what we were all thinking: “Bruce you’re rich, why aren’t you doing anything for the city?” She’s also one of the few people in Gotham with any integrity. As the movie comes to a close, we leave her as the newly crowned mayor. In an impassioned speech she speaks about rebuilding trust in Gotham, in each other, and in its institutions. Interestingly, she leaves out mention of the GCPD, who we know were the core of the corruption in the city. We’ll likely see Bella deal with that in the aforementioned The Batman spinoff with Jim Gordon. And if we do return to Gotham in any future The Batman sequels then you can expect Bella to be there.

The Penguin

In a Q&A we attended, Matt Reeves said that The Batman wasn’t an origin story for Bruce, but it was an origin story for the Batman rogues that we meet. Colin Farrell’s Penguin is by no means the criminal mastermind that comic fans are used to. But as the movie ends we leave him in position to take over from his one-time boss Carmine Falcone. With Boss Maroni out of the picture and Carmine killed by the Riddler, there’s a power vacuum in Gotham. It would be the perfect time for Oz to begin his climb up the slippery ladder of corruption. This could be something that we see in the already announced HBO Max spinoff series following The Batman‘s Penguin. Starring Farrell, that show was confirmed before The Batman hit screens, but it makes a lot of sense after seeing the actor’s powerhouse turn as the greedy wannabe mob boss. We can’t wait to hear more about this The Batman spinoff.

The Riddler

Currently trapped in Arkham, the Riddler’s future might seem unclear. But the fact that in classic Arkham Asylum fashion they apparently put him right next to the Joker, but that will likely change. The pair’s conversation implies that the Joker wants to team up with the Riddler and help him forge the kind of comeback that Gotham loves. Villains combining forces is par for the course for Batman in the comics and movies, so this would make a lot of sense. Also, as we leave Gotham in a state of flooded disrepair, there’s a massive power vacuum that could come into play. There’s even precedent for different villains to take over different segments of Gotham after a terrible disaster. We could see some kind of Riddler-land if he manages to escape. Now that we know more about a possible The Batman spinoff that’s focused on Arkham, we might speculate he could appear there.

The Joker, a.k.a. “Unseen Arkham Prisoner”

Sure, Barry Keoghan wasn’t credited as the Joker, but we can see in the small glimpse we get of him that’s exactly who he is. And Matt Reeves confirmed it. So now we know that one of the scariest actors on Earth is playing Batman’s most formidable foe. What does that mean for Gotham? It’s a calculatingly heartbreaking choice from Reeves. We leave Bruce in a place where he’s trying to do better. He wants to change and become the hero and helper that his city needs. So to then pit him against the most chaotic and criminal of his villains just seems cruel. But it’ll make one hell of a show. The future of this character all depends on whether we get another Reeves’ Batman movie. If we do get a sequel to The Batman, expect the Joker to be the big bad and to try and break Bruce and his quest for redemption.

Gotham City

In every good Batman story, Gotham City is a character unto itself. Reeves’ Batman is no exception. Though for much of the movie the city is the living breathing backdrop to Bruce’s exploration of corruption, as the film comes to a close we leave it in ruins. Not only has the corruption that fueled and supported it been uncovered, but the Riddler’s plan has left it flooded and destroyed. This is a really interesting place to leave Gotham as it leans heavily into multiple comic book arcs. During Batman: Zero Year, the Riddler floods the city. That was a clear influence here, but what comes after could shape the future of The Batman be it in spinoffs or sequels. In that story, Riddler takes control of the city and Batman has to battle to stop him. That seems like it could definitely happen in a potential Batman sequel.

Other comics that this feels like it could be echoing include Cataclysm and No Man’s Land. Those arcs saw Gotham destroyed by an Earthquake and quickly become a literal No Man’s Land. Only Jim Gordon and the heroes stay around to save the citizens of Gotham. This beloved arc seems like a pretty safe bet for inspiration for what comes next for the city. It could be especially interesting to see Reeves’ take on some of the most famous moments like Gotham being ejected from the USA, and the political and societal fall out of that choice.

Whatever happens next in terms of sequels and spinoffs, as huge fans of The Batman we can’t wait. And, of course, we have everything crossed for a sequel starring Pattinson and Kravitz.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

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Matt Reeves’ The Batman is arriving in theaters soon, and our anticipation is at an all-time high. Although this is the eighth solo Batman live-action film since 1989, this movie already has the record for most classic villains in one live-action Bat-film. Although you may know most of them, there’s possibly one you may have missed. Here’s the rundown on all the rogues you can expect Robert Pattinson to take on in The Batman:

The Batman’s Villains: Catwoman

Zoe Kravitz is playing Catwoman in The Batman, the first big-screen Selina Kyle since Anne Hathaway put on the mask in The Dark Knight Rises. From what we can see, this is a very Frank Miller Batman: Year One take on the feline Fatale. She’s a street-wise cat burglar extraordinaire. Even Catwoman’s costume from 2022’s The Batman looks like a cross between David Mazzucchelli’s DIY cat mask from Year One and the late Darwyn Cooke’s look from the early 2000s.

Just like most great Catwoman incarnations, a key component of her character is her romantic entanglement with the Bat. And with Bruce Wayne. Which looks to remain intact in Matt Reeves’ world. Catwoman has always straddled the line between villain and hero in Batman’s world. That looks to remain the same in The Batman. We can’t wait to see Zoe crack that whip.

The Batman’s Villains: The Riddler

The Riddler is one of Batman’s most prominent enemies to the general audience. Especially since the Batman ’66 TV show. But he has not appeared as a villain in a Batman movie since Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Well, Paul Dano’s version seems to be the polar opposite of that performance. But his version of Edward Nashton (0r Nygma) still seems to love nothing more than sending the Batman deadly conundrums. The green tights and bowler hat may be gone, replaced by something scarier. But the Riddler is still as smart and deadly a villain as before, a worthy match for Pattinson’s Batman. With just a dash more of Zodiac killer thrown in for good measure.

The Batman’s Villains: The Penguin

One of the earliest costumed criminals Batman faced after the Joker was none other than Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. But you might know him better as the Penguin. He first appeared in the pages of Detective Comics back in 1940. However, we haven’t seen the dapperly dressed bird-themed villain on the big screen since Batman Returns, thirty years ago. Tim Burton’s Penguin was a mutant, but Oswald is merely a strange-looking man with a penchant for villainy in the comics. One who just has a thing for birds. Not that Batman can throw any stones at this villain.

The version of Penguin in The Batman’s trailer looks much more like the comic book version. All thanks to an incredible makeup job that totally hides the actor’s (Colin Farrell) real features. In Matt Reeves’ version of things, Pengy is just an underworld boss with a big ol’ beak, not a guy with flippers. And that’s just how we like him. Hopefully, Farrell gets that Penguin cackle just right. Especially since we’ll see a lot more of this Batman villain when he returns in an HBO Max spin-off series.

The Batman’s Villains: Carmine Falcone

Carmine Falcone isn’t a costumed criminal, but he’s definitely the mafia Don that has had the most significant impact on Batman’s life. He first appeared as Gotham City’s most powerful crime boss in Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One, using the nickname “The Roman.” The head of the Falcone crime family, his story continued in the classic mystery story The Long Halloween, where Two-Face ultimately kills him.

The New 52 reboot of the line from DC Comics would ultimately undo that death, making him a recurring Batman villain. The powers that be decided that he was just too good a bad guy to waste, despite the lack of gimmicks or costumes. Despite just a handful of appearances, Falcone went on to feature in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and on the TV series Gotham. Now, he’s also in The Batman, played by John Turturro.

Could There Be Other Villains in The Batman?

Of course, whenever a Batman movie comes up, lots of speculation arises about the villains the film might feature. The Caped Crusader has a rich history of baddies that people want to see on screen again and again. And The Batman is no different in this respect. So naturally, a top question on everyone’s mind is: Will the Joker appear in 2022’s The Batman? But for now, the Clown Prince of Crime has not appeared in any of The Batman’s promotional materials.

On the one hand, this doesn’t necessarily mean the Joker won’t appear in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. But, on the other hand, the 2022 Batman film is already full of villains enough. From true evil menaces to grey area frenemies to crime bosses… That’s a lot of villains for just one Batman to take on. Even if that Batman is Robert Pattinson, complete with emo hair and an emo Batsuit. And we have to leave some foes for a sequel to The Batman, should one arise.

Only time will tell, though, whether any other Batman foes make the cut. You can see all of The Batman’s villains, and, of course, the Bat himself, when The Batman releases in theaters on March 4.

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“With the future of the human race at stake, a group of young men and women, bred for intelligence and obedience, embark on an expedition to colonize a distant planet. But when they uncover disturbing secrets about the mission, they defy their training and begin to explore their most primitive natures. As life on the ship descends into chaos, they’re consumed by fear, lust, and the insatiable hunger for power.”

That official synopsis from Lionsgate doesn’t match the raw intensity of this hormone-filled trailer. Based on this promo, we would describe this movie as The Sex Spaceship. That might seem unusual, but it makes sense on a certain level. In space, no one can hear your scream, whether its from pain or pleasure. What better place to try new things!

Lionsgate

Of course, there’s something far more sinister going on here. There’s an unexplained reason the ship’s young crew is losing all inhibitions. What are they drinking to make them act like this and why? Their real mission, unbeknownst to them, seems to be about exploring humanity’s primal instincts.

Written and directed by Neil Burger (Limitless, The Illusionist), joining Farrell are: Tye Sheridan (X-Men, Ready Player One), Lily-Rose Depp (Savage), Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk), Chanté Adams (Roxanne, Roxanne), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Game of Thrones), Viveik Kalra (Blinded by the Light), Archie Madekwe (Midsommar), Quintessa Swindell (Trinkets), and Madison Hu (Bizaardvark).

That’s a pretty good crew to take a trip with, whether while watching a movie or for real. Whether you’d be more interested in a Voyagers-like trip or an actual colonization mission is really your own business though.

Voyagers comes to theaters April 9.

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As Batman fans we all love a good mystery. When I saw that Colin Farrell came out of a Barnes & Noble holding a Bat-book, I had to know which collection it was. So after some deep digging through the trove of available collections starring the Dark Knight, I uncovered that the striking red and yellow cover belongs to a deluxe edition of “Batman by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato” which collects their short run towards the end of the New 52 Detective Comics series. What could this mean?

Well, directors often give cast members suggested reading lists when they star in superhero flicks. This collection seems a great fit for Reeves’ vision of Batman. There are a few key beats that could turn up as well as some very good theory fuel.

DC Comics

A Street-Level Batman Battling Corruption in Gotham

When I spoke to Reeves about his version of Bruce Wayne, he was keen to explore an unseen side of the hero through a story about someone still reeling from his parents’ death, but that the director categorically told me wouldn’t be an origin story. Reeves could easily retrofit Manapul and Buccellato’s arc for that purpose. A lot of this series centers on a more street-level version of the hero taking down a street drug as well as a trafficking ring. Those kinds of crimes fit with Reeves’ other key interest in Gotham: the corruption that defines it.

Gotham has always been a hotbed of corruption and crime, and this arc leans into that. There’s even a rather interesting dirty cop arc that we won’t spoil, but could easily become a big part of The Batman, or even the recently announced HBO Max GCPD-set series.

Gentrification in Gotham

DC Comics

Bruce’s wealth has long been key to both his heroism and his flaws. In this arc we see Bruce support a community initiative to redevelop Gotham’s waterfront. He finds encouragement from a local activist named Elena Aguila who convinces him to turn down the billions in profit that he could potentially make by developing the area commercially.

It would be incredibly cool to see Reeves’ Batman deal with the concept of gentrification in Gotham and even potentially help play a part in ending it. But if the comics are anything to go by this will likely end badly. Aguila is murdered for her good work. The police tie Bruce to the killing, which actually connects to a street drug called Icarus. Though we’re not desperate to see Batman do a tired street drug story, the exploration of Bruce’s corporate ties and lack of community work could be really exciting.

Has Bruce Lost Someone Important in His Life?

DC Comics, Art by Chris Burnham 

One of the things that I’m immediately most intrigued by here is that Damian Wayne is dead during this arc so Bruce is in mourning. I would love to see a version of Batman where he has already loved Talia and has potentially lost his son. Maybe his parent’s death was not the inciting incident and, in fact, Bruce’s drive to truly become a vigilante comes from the death of his son.

In the comics, Damian died at the hands of a clone of himself; in classic comic book style, he later resurrected thanks to the Gods of Apocalypse. We can assume that is not going to be the case in Reeves’ more humanist and realistic take, but losing a child could be an interesting new way of exploring Bruce’s grief and what drives him.

A Penguin / Falcone Crime Family War

There is not much more than a reference to this idea here, but the previous arcs of the series build on the concept of Penguin as a crime boss and politician. Basically, whatever happens with his role, he will likely be playing the criminal mastermind version of the Penguin, one who has a tight grip on his turf in Gotham and is unwilling to let anyone else move in on it, whether that be the Falcones or the Riddler, and definitely not Batman or Catwoman.

Emperor Penguin / Mayor Penguin

DC Comics, Art by Jason Fabok

Since they announced Hollywood’s hot dad Colin Farrell would be the Penguin, people have asked… in what world? Well, this comic doesn’t have too much about the Penguin aside from the formerly mentioned gang war. But the Detective Comics run a couple of arcs before this–so is Farrell just continuing his reading?–did introduce an interesting take on the character which could come into play.

Ignatius Ogilvy is a henchman of the Penguin who takes over the rogue’s gang and later re-imagined himself as Emperor Penguin, a far more muscular and stylish vision of the iconic villain. This would be a particularly interesting route as Ignatius has some similarities to Bruce Wayne, with his own parents’ murder outside of a theater. That mirroring already worked well in Batman Returns, which Reeves told me was his favorite Batman film.

The other option here is that while Ignatius Ogilvy took over the Penguin’s gang, Oswald became the Mayor of Gotham, which means we could see Farrell taking on that role which is far more of a complex anti-hero than the Penguin that most fans are familiar with. But even if that’s the case, it’s likely he’ll take a little bit of Ogilvy’s more stylish and cool look.

Harvey Bullock

DC Comics

Though no one has been cast as Gotham’s most corrupt cop, he is a key player in this arc and has long been one the most well-known parts of GCPD lore. In this run he’s essentially a secondary main character, and while not committing any obvious financial crimes, he acts as a sort of Punisher-esque cop who likes to beat up the bad guys in the streets of Gotham. Though this isn’t a story I’d want to see with Gordon in that role, there is potential. Reeves’ film could be a double-hander with both Wright and Robert Pattinson taking co-lead roles to protect Gotham.

The Squid

No, this isn’t a Watchmen reference; though now Doomsday Clock exists who could ever be sure? Although The Batman has some seriously famous villains with the Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman all cast in the film, the comic has a pair of criminal brothers who play a key role. I likely wouldn’t have included this but the IMDb page for the movie lists a pair of twin brothers who have undisclosed roles who are really high in the credits. The Squid is a hood in Manapul’s arc that works out of Gotham Aquarium and who has a brother named Jonny whose indiscretions lead him to a run-in with the Bat. It’s all a little street level, but with John Turturro already playing iconic Batman mob boss Carmine Falcone, we think organized crime will once again play a huge role in the upcoming Batman flick.

Could Jeffrey Wright Get a Run in the Batsuit?

Fans of the New 52 Batman run were likely confused when they saw the costume on the front of this cover. It looks like the costume Jim Gordon wears when he takes on the mantle of Batman. Well, that is part of the story here as we get to see Gordon in the so-called Bat Bunny, which is a high-tech armor that the commissioner wears during his stint. We have yet to have a Black Batman and this would be a great way to introduce the concept cinematically. Also who wouldn’t want to see Jeffrey Wright as Batman??? This is a definitely an outlier of a theory but really isn’t that wild, especially as this is an established part of the Bat-lore at this point and Reeves clearly isn’t afraid of bringing sci-fi aesthetics into grounded human storytelling.

Tone, Lighting, and Aesthetic

DC Comics

Whatever the film does or doesn’t take narratively from this book, Reeves and co. would be smart to take aesthetically from the beautiful art of Manapul and Buccellato. This is a stunning series that takes noir and paints it with brightly-hued colors and unexpected tones. Their world is both brutal and beautiful, action-packed without ever feeling tropey. There’s also the steampunk-inspired addition of the Bat-Blimp; the kind of technology and juxtaposition of noir and high-tech has long been something fans have been dying to see brought to the big screen. Imagine the world of Batman: The Animated Series rendered in a more realistic comic book style and you’re halfway there. Basically, if this was a style bible for The Batman then we’d all be lucky.

The Batman is currently due out on October 1, 2021.

Header Image: DC Comics

Rosie Knight is a writer who adores waxing lyrical about the things that she loves. Follow her on Twitter!

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A new Disney adventure awaits a release date. The Walt Disney Studios revealed that fantasy film Artemis Fowl will make its debut on Disney + on June 12th. The movie was originally scheduled for a theater release on May 29 but, like pretty much everything else in the world, that is no longer happening due to COVID-19.

For those who aren’t familiar, Artemis Fowl is based Eoin Colfer’s young adult novel series of the same name. The book story and film follows Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw), a 12-year-old genius from a long lineage of masterminds accused of criminal activities. Fowl goes on a mission to find his missing father (Colin Farrell) along with his protector Butler (Nonso Anozie).

Walt Disney Studios

Artemis knows his father’s disappearance is linked to this newfound land but his plan against the fairies won’t go as easily as he anticipates. Artemis Fowl seems like the perfect kind of story to thrill kids as well as kids-at-heart who are at home for the foreseeable future. Ricky Strauss, President of Content and Marketing at Disney+ expresses the company’s excitement to make this story come to life for viewers, especially those who have followed the book series. Here’s what he had to say:

“With audiences largely unable to attend theatres in the current environment, we are thrilled to offer the premiere of ‘Artemis Fowl’ on Disney. Director Kenneth Branagh and his spectacular cast take viewers right into the vibrant, fantasy world of the beloved book, which fans have been waiting to see brought to life onscreen for years. It’s great family entertainment that is the perfect addition to Disney+’s summer lineup.”

After the announcement that the film would head straight to Disney plus earlier this month, fans were eagerly awaiting news of an airdate for the highly-anticipated and long gestating adaptation. During The Disney Family Sing Along ABC special that patience was rewarded it was revealed that Artemis Fowl would debut on the streaming service on June 12th!

So fans can rejoice as the long-awaited Artemis Fowl will make his live-action debut on Disney+ in June.

This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

Header Image: Walt Disney Studios

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From Disney’s official synopsis:

“Disney’s Artemis Fowl, based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, is a fantastical, spellbinding adventure that follows the journey of 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he seeks to find his father who has mysteriously disappeared. With the help of his loyal protector Butler, Artemis sets out to find him, and in doing so uncovers an ancient, underground civilization—the amazingly advanced world of fairies. Deducing that his father’s disappearance is somehow connected to the secretive, reclusive fairy world, cunning Artemis concocts a dangerous plan—so dangerous that he ultimately finds himself in a perilous war of wits with the all-powerful fairies.”

Disney’s official synopsis for the movie sounds exactly like the plot of the first Artemis Fowl book. However, this latest trailer features some significant changes. Here young Artemis (Ferdia Shaw) appears to be a hero, not a villain like in the novel. He’s working with magical creatures to stop an even bigger enemy. Fan favorite Holly Short (played by Lara McDonnell), a fairy captain in the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance force, is Artemis’s main foil in the novel. She’s the “good guy.” Here though she’s immediately presented as someone specifically sent to be Artemis’s ally.

As is the dwarf Mulch Diggums (Josh Gad). That’s another major departure from the book where Mulch is definitely not helping the young human. Disney seems to have made the decision to skip ahead in the story when it comes to character relationships. But without laying the groundwork for how those changes happen organically, they run the risk of those relationships not meaning as much.

Disney

And by presenting Artemis as a hero, it completely upends one of the most appealing aspects of the character. He’s 12 and clearly the bad guy. (Even if he can only be so bad.) There are plenty of YA heroes. Why not adapt one of those stories if you wanted a good guy main character?

Could these changes work? Of course. Movies are a different medium, and some of the best adaptations make major changes. However, that hasn’t prevented the ire from fans of the book.

Probably not a great sign for enthusiasm when your trailer makes people commiserate with Percy Jackson readers.

Upset by this trailer? We get it. Our advice though is to keep doing what Artemis Fowl fans have done for a long time: wait until you see the movie. Then judge it. Hopefully it can find the right kind of magic to make your patience pay off.

Colin Farrell, Judi Dench, Hong Chau, and Nikesh Patel also star in the film.

Artemis Fowl comes to theaters (finally) on May 29, 2020.

Featured Image: Disney

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“The Gentlemen follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.”

The movie is the latest British crime comedy from Ritchie, who also wrote and directed 1998’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, as well as 2000’s Snatch. And while it focused on the other side of the law, his two Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law also combined underworld intrigue and comedy. However, this might be the most impressive cast Ritchie, who also wrote the film, has put together yet.

It also stars Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, and Colin Farrell, a group that would make for a fantastic ensemble by themselves. Combined with McConaughey, Golding, Hunnam, and Grant, this this movie has everything it needs to be a huge success—whether it makes a billion dollars or not.

The Gentlemen comes to theaters next year, January 24, 2020.

Featured Image: STX Films

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It’s been 27 years since Danny DeVito and Tim Burton first collaborated together, on 1992’s Batman Returns and 16 years since their most recent team-up on Big Fish in 2003, but if you ask DeVito what it feels like to return to another film with the director, you get the sense that almost no time has passed. “It’s always the same. It feels like we don’t see each other for a really long time, and then you just pick up. He’s that kind of friend.”

Nerdist, along with a small group of other journalists, had the chance to sit down with DeVito on the set of Burton’s latest directorial effort, a live-action version of Disney’s classic film Dumbo, where the actor discussed how it felt to reunite with his longtime associate on his latest project how it felt to finally be the “good guy” against co-star Michael Keaton for a change.

In this version of Dumbo, set in 1919, DeVito plays Max Medici, the ringmaster and owner of a humble circus who finds himself desperate to keep his business — and his livelihood — afloat. In a last-ditch effort to attract more ticket-buyers, he decides to purchase an elephant for his new act, not realizing that she’s pregnant, or that her baby will change everything. “He has a big pressure, in the beginning, to keep the circus alive, because it was a very, very tough time. They were fading, the little circuses, because all the big ones were taking over. We get a windfall when I buy Mrs. Jumbo.”

According to DeVito, when Burton called him up to ask him to be in the film, he referred to it as “the completion of the circus trilogy.” Direct lines connect Medici and Big Fish‘s ringmaster Amos Calloway, and even the Penguin to some extent. But DeVito told us that Medici is still different than the other circus-themed characters he’s played for Burton in the past. “He’s a showman. He’s like a Barnum. He’s not as slick and maybe not as savvy, but he’s a showman. He’s a barker. He’s a guy who wants to get people in and have a good time and enjoy themselves.”

Burton wasn’t the only person DeVito’s reunited with for this project, however. Dumbo also gave him the opportunity to act against his former Batman Returns co-star Michael Keaton, albeit with the roles largely reversed this time around: it’s a fact DeVito couldn’t help but note with some personal relish when asked about it. “It’s really fun that Michael’s here and it’s also very interesting. We’ve done a couple of movies together, Michael and I, but the last movie with Tim and Michael and I, of course, we were both in suits, right? I was in the penguin suit, he was in the Batman suit. He was playing the good guy in that movie. I’m the good guy in this movie. So it’s a little bit of an evolution here.”

Ultimately, it was clear from our conversation with DeVito that whenever Burton asks him to lend his talents to another project, he’ll say yes without hesitation. “I love Tim and I would do anything to be in a movie with him. But what are we going to do next? Who knows? Something really weird. Really. That’s an understatement.”

Dumbo is currently slated for a U.S. release on March 29.

Images: Disney

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Back in November 2017, Nerdist had the opportunity to step behind the scenes of Tim Burton’s Dumbo, where some of its cast—including Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito and Joseph Gatt—spoke about how Burton’s vision for the film merges the larger-than-life with more realistic elements. You might not think a movie about a flying elephant could manage to be all that grounded, but as it turns out, Burton’s film makes it feel one step closer to the possibility of true magic.”You put a flying elephant in there, and it kind of can’t be anything but really fantastical, you know what I mean?” Farrell said, when asked about his initial reaction to reading the film’s script. “When I say fantastical, it doesn’t have to be supernatural. It can be something like the circus, [because] the world that it exists within is such a world of dreams and magic and performance. … I didn’t feel like the fantastical element that I expected was diminished at all.”Part of that was accomplished by the decision to use practical sets, while computer-generated elements were mostly equipped in the creation of Dumbo himself, and several cast members told us about the amazing sets that were constructed in places like Pinewood and Cardington to help bring the magic of the film to life. “I feel like I’m existing in a practical world, that it’s not asking me to imagine too many things that aren’t there, save that flying pachyderm,” Farrell said.”Tim [Burton] really does like to have as much physically there for the actors as possible,” Gatt said, when asked how much of his acting had to be performed opposite something he had to imagine. “Which is fantastic, because there were certain other directors that would do this completely green screen and we’d have to imagine everything. But Tim is giving us so much.” As for working with Dumbo specifically, Gatt told us that several life-size elephant stand-ins were built to give the actors a sense of shape and placement before being removed for filming. “But it’s very rarely that we’re doing the work with nothing there at all. There’s always something there for us to use as a reference, a little bit more than a tennis ball.”There were also other actors providing stand-in replacements for Dumbo, including those who could offer a performance — especially for some of the younger cast members. “We have this guy called Ed, who is put into a green costume that vaguely mimics the right size and shape of what the elephant would be, of what Dumbo would be,” Gatt said. “And it’s great having him there, ‘cause he’ll actually be there and physically interact with us and move around a little bit. … And it helps us kind of get an idea of the elephant’s energy and stuff.”Other practical elements were included to provide the cast with something to act against. One scene, in which an elephant will be unloaded out of a boxcar on a ramp, used a hidden set of hydraulics, as DeVito revealed to us: “There’s nothing coming down the ramp, right? Oh, there’s a guy with a big rig coming down the ramp and the ramp has got a hydraulic thingy that pulls it down. Man, it was deep. I thought that was the coolest thing.”At one point, Farrell told us that he’d always been looking for a project of this kind until Dumbo fell into his lap. “Sometimes, you go to work on things that are just so kind of bewitching in how you see the imagination of some very talented, very imaginative people made manifest in a physical sense,” he said. “And that’s what this is. I mean, you just see the imagination of the production designer [Rick Heinrichs]. You see the imagination of [costume designer] Colleen Atwood. You see the imagination, obviously, of Tim at every turn, and it’s extraordinary to be around.”Dumbo is currently slated for a U.S. release on March 29.

Images: Disney

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Over the last few years, Disney’s efforts in live-action have mined the company’s early days of animation. Now, with Dumbo, the studio is breathing new life into its fourth-ever animated feature film with the help of legendary director, producer and artist Tim Burton. With an appreciation of the original film and a perennially strange onscreen representation of the world as we know it, Tim Burton is the perfect fit to bring this elephant-size tale back to life. And if you ask the cast of Dumbo — including Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito and Joseph Gatt — they’ll tell you that they can’t picture anyone else for the gig, either.

“Genuinely, when I heard he was doing it, I was like, ‘Oh my god. What a dream gig to do,'” Farrell said on the set of Dumbo. “And that was before reading the script. And then I read the script and it’s so sweet. And Tim’s really good at figuring out the balancing act between honoring the sweetness of the original story or the intent of the kind of allegorical element of what a baby flying elephant represents with kind of real-world emotional concerns of families and friendships and damages of war.”

For Gatt, Burton’s stress-free set environment was really significant. “I don’t think I’ve worked with a director that cares about everything so much. He cares so much about the actors being comfortable in what they’re doing and feeling safe. He’s put together such a great cast. And we’re all the same. Sometimes, you have to kind of like catch yourself, because you’re sitting there and Tim’s there and Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton and Colin [Farrell] and you’re hanging out and you’re having fun. Should it be this easy? Should it be this much fun? But it is. It really is.”

If you ask longtime collaborator Danny DeVito, however, he’ll tell you that Burton is a director whose world he has always wanted to inhabit, regardless of the story.

“I’ll get emotional thinking about like, how much I care about him,” Devito said. “Always spirited, always an artist, always thinking about the craft, always just painting with his mind and so, I feel like I’m part of a kind of, some kind of color scheme in Kandinsky’s world or something, where I just feel like you want to go. And you see him work. Right from the very beginning, even with Batman [Returns]. … From that, he’s never changed, not a bit.”

Farrell was also highly effusive about Burton’s level of care and his engagement in every single facet of the filming process; Burton wants to be as heavily involved in the making of this movie as he possibly can be.

“He’s so invested emotionally and intellectually, obviously, but physically invested in the making of the film,” Farrell says. “To watch him on the set and how engaged he is and how frenetic at times his energy can be, and how he moves and it’s just a joy and he’s just really kind to everyone. And I think any of the crew would jump through hoops for him. I certainly know I would, and the cast would.”

Dumbo is slated for a U.S. release on March 29.

Images: Disney

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We are fully prepared for Disney‘s live-action Dumbo to leave us blubbering messes. We didn’t make it out of the last trailer with dry eyes, not when Sad Dumbo broke our hearts. The newest look at the film though doesn’t have us shedding any tears though, because there’s nothing upsetting about the film’s great new character posters. They have us smiling because we’re already excited about all the great future Dumbo cosplay the move is going to give us.

New character posters for #Dumbo pic.twitter.com/HPpIUZhCuw

— مشاعل🎥🎬 (@MashaelF94) January 4, 2019

EW shared these new character images, which gives us maybe our best, most adorable look at the lovable big-eared elephant at the center of the story. And the other posters might be even better, because they feature the film’s biggest stars looking very stylish, like Colin Farrell as Holt Farrier.

EntertainmentWeekly unveils character posters for live-action movie DUMBO • In theatres March 2019 • Picture (c) EW pic.twitter.com/mPsSLrPZLv

— Colin Farrell ⟠GER (@CFarrellGermany) January 4, 2019

Honestly, we’re not sure how much we’re going to be able to hate Michael Keaton’s V.A. Vandevere when he looks this good.

Michael Keaton in #Dumbo is definitely my 2019 mood. pic.twitter.com/9Civ8rwE49

— Heather Concannon (@hmmconcannon) January 4, 2019

Gonna need those glasses. And that hair.However, his isn’t even the best costume to be found in the group. That goes to Eva Green’s star of the Dreamland circus, Colette Marchant.

Dear Colette Marchant… 😍💙 #Dumbo pic.twitter.com/eB77mL6CyK

— Fille de L’eau ♠ (@Choukette_S) January 4, 2019

And in maybe the most perfect casting ever, which is probably why Tim Burton has now done it twice (Big Fish being the first), Danny DeVito is rocking his Ringmaster look as Max Medici, owner of Medici Bros. circus.

New #Dumbo Posters! @EW pic.twitter.com/42MLhLDpXe

— GoodOrBad (@GoodBadOfficial) January 4, 2019

We’re still pretty sure the movie is going to make us cry, but at least it’s going to look fashionable when it does.

Featured Image: Disney

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The latest classic animated Disney film getting the “live-action” treatment is the Mouse House’s 1941 classic Dumbo, this time directed by Tim Burton with a score by Danny Elfman. Although fans were skeptical when it was announced, based on the decidedly mixed reaction that Burton’s Alice in Wonderland received several years ago, the emotional first teaser trailer gave just about everyone the feels. Folks seem to be genuinely excited for this new take on everyone’s favorite flying elephant.Now, a new trailer has dropped, giving us a more expansive glimpse into Dumbo’s colorful circus world.

The new Dumbo will have Burton working with many of his favorite collaborators: Eva Green, who appeared in both Dark Shadows and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and both Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito in something of a Batman Returns reunion (too bad they couldn’t find a part for Michelle Pfeiffer). Working with Burton for the first time is Colin Farrell, who plays a war veteran and former circus star whose two children befriend Dumbo.Dumbo is the latest in a very successful line of live-action adaptations of animated classics, which has become as sure-fire a brand for Disney as Star Wars or Marvel. 2019 sees not only the release of Dumbo, but also the live-action adaptations of Aladdin and The Lion King. And there are definitely more in the pipeline, as plans have been announced for Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and several others. This train isn’t slowing down anytime soon, folks.You can view several newly released images from the film down below in our gallery:What did you think of the latest trailer for Dumbo? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Images: Walt Disney Company

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Everyone’s seen heist movies. You know what happens: people (almost always guys) plan a big, elaborate scheme to steal a bunch of money (can be diamonds or bearer bonds or Faberge eggs or whatever), it’s an arduous process, problems arise often because of the person or organization getting robbed, and the heist is carried out, either successfully or not. You get it. Steve McQueen‘s newest, Widows, is a heist movie, but it’s also not about heists at all. It’s about women taking charge of their own lives, it’s about organized crime, it’s about the corruptness of politics and the inefficacy of police, it’s about race, class, biases, and ultimately it’s a treatise on America at large. And, yes, things are stolen.Written by McQueen and Gillian Flynn, based on the 2002 miniseries of the same name by Lynda La Plante, Widows feels like it could be a whole season of The Wire, transplanted to Chicago. It’s as much about the marked discrepancy between classes in a major metropolis as it is any usual crime capering. Great pains are taken to explore one particular ward in Chicago and only on brief occasions do we ever venture to the scenic river and skyscrapers of downtown. Having and not-having are foregrounded for our protagonists, who are trying to survive following a shared tragedy.A group of women (Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki) find themselves lost following the deaths of all their husbands. They were career criminals who died in a police shootout after a heist goes bad. Davis plays Veronica, whose husband Harry (Liam Neeson), was the mastermind of the group. We get the sense everyone in town knew Harry and pretty much everyone let him do his dirty work. But this time he stole $2 million from a particularly dangerous man, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), a criminal running for Alderman to give his business dealings more leeway. And maybe to help the community. The money was burned up in the heist; nobody has it. But he still demands Veronica pay the debt. She lives a nice life thanks to Harry’s dealings and she’ll have to sell everything to pay Manning.After finding Harry’s extensive notebook of crimes both past and future, she decides the only way to pay back Manning (and set herself up with a nice life) is to perform Harry’s next heist herself. To do this, she recruits the wives of two of Harry’s other dead teammates. Rodriguez’s Linda has found herself the single parent of two kids and suddenly without the store she’s put her heart and soul into thanks to her husband’s gambling debts. Debicki’s Alice is the woman raised to be arm candy, right back under the control of her mother (Jacki Weaver), and forced to become an escort to make money. They’re all desperate, but none of them know how to do this crime. They’ll have to improvise.It’s a very common set-up, but it doesn’t dwell in it for long. Manning is running against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), the son of retiring Alderman Tom Mulligan (Robert Duvall), and the Mulligans have controlled this largely poor district since time immemorial. Jack is not his father’s son, and doesn’t want to be a career politician, but can’t find his way out. But to lose to Manning, who’d be the first African-American alderman of the ward, is a bridge too far. Manning’s brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya, in cold and sadistic form), on the other hand, controls the criminal activities for his brother and desperately wants to put the squeeze on Veronica for her husband’s notebook.As I said, a lot going on, and that’s not even everybody. Cynthia Erivo plays a single mom who works a thousand hours a week and ends up the driver for Veronica’s group. All of the women come from different backgrounds, classes, circumstances, and the film shows them judging each other for the various ways they live their life, but still banding together for this one job. Chicago is a city of extreme wealth and extreme poverty, and one amazing scene shows Farrell getting into a car after a rally in a poor black neighborhood and during his conversation, in an unbroken shot, we see his car drive from poverty, into a suddenly opulent white part of town before pulling up to his house. It only takes a couple minutes, perfectly encapsulating what McQueen is saying about Chicago and Anycity, USA.Much of the hows and whys of the story are left ambiguous or otherwise unexplored. It’d be nice to know more, but it’s not really necessary. There are also moments where McQueen tries to engage with the theme of extreme grief that pops up in all of his films, but it doesn’t get as fleshed out as it might otherwise. This is ostensibly a popcorn movie, after all. And Gillian Flynn is involved, so you can expect lots of twists. While the story overall is extremely satisfying, there are a few areas left under-served; the climax is great, but the denouement feels unfinished.Still, there’s plenty to love here. Standout performances are Debicki, who has the largest character growth, from lost deer to extreme survivor; and Kaluuya, who is absolutely terrifying and sociopathic. Widows is the kind of movie needed by patrons who spend every day in Trump’s America pulling their hair out, seething at the injustice being carried out in every facet of the country. It’s not a feel-good movie, it’s a think-good movie. Ocean’s Eight this isn’t, but it’s an altogether bigger score.

4 out of 5

Images: 20th Century Fox

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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