The Penguin Rumored to be Main Villain of The Batman

Fans of DC Comics are happy to hear that the Penguin is rumored to be the main villain in director Matt Reeves’ upcoming film The Batman. The news was first reported by Justin Kroll, an entertainment reporter with Variety. Kroll reports that Warner Bros., the studio that produces films based on DC Comics, is keen on introducing the character into their film universe. The news also confirms that The Batman will be set in the DC Extended Universe despite earlier reports that it might be a standalone story. The Penguin may also appear in a film based on the comic series Birds of Prey, which follows a group of female superheroes including Batgirl, Huntress, and Black Canary. It is rumored that the group might also include villain Harley Quinn following critical praise of Margot Robbie’s take on the character in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Penguin might make his debut in the Birds of Prey film as Reeves is still writing the script for The Batman.

Should Penguin appear in Reeves’ film, it will be the first time the character has appeared on-screen in nearly three decades. The last film appearance for the character was 1992’s Batman Returns, where he was played to much acclaim by actor Danny DeVito. Fan favorites to play the character in Reeves’ film include Andy Serkis and Josh Gad, among many others. While most of Hollywood is certain that the Penguin will be the primary antagonist of The Batman, it is unclear if Ben Affleck will continue in his role as the Caped Crusader. Affleck appeared as Batman in both Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, but reports suggest that he was unhappy with the lackluster critical response the films received and might want to quit the franchise. The news generated a great deal of disappointment among fans, who overwhelmingly praised his older, grittier take on the character.