DC's The Penguin Series Suspends Production Due to WGA Strike
DC's The Penguin series is officially the latest project to suspend production amid the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. On Tuesday, reports revealed that WGA East picketers protested outside of the series' set in Westchester, NY, shutting down production for the remainder of Tuesday.
The Penguin is the latest project to shut down production because of picketing from the writers' strike — Evil, Stranger Things, Severance, Good Trouble, Sinking Spring, and Marvel's Wonder Man have all been reported to temporarily freeze their production in the past few weeks.
The Batman: trying to shut The Penguin down since 1941
— Ryan Kennedy (@TheRyanK) May 16, 2023
The @WGAEast: manages it in one day#WGAstrong #UnionStrong https://t.co/29b6bdOKfG
Who is the cast of The Penguin?
The cast of The Penguin includes Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin and Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, as well as Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Deirdre O'Connell.
"The only thing I had an idea was that I wasn't nearly getting to explore the character as much as I wanted to," Farrell explained in a recent interview with Variety. "Because there was all this extraordinary work done by [makeup artists] Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine and his team, and I just thought it was the tip of the iceberg, pardon the pun, that we were getting to do the six or seven scenes that we did in the film. I was grateful for them, but I wanted more."
What is The Penguin about?
While plot details surrounding The Penguin are currently under wraps, it is expected to take place in the aftermath of the events of The Batman.
"We are thrilled to bring audiences a new version of this iconic DC character that they have never seen before," Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max, said in a statement when the show was announced. "It is incredible to be working with Matt, Dylan and Lauren on continuing this story and to see Colin take his already exceptional performance in 'The Batman' to the next level."
"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," The Batman director Matt Reeves echoed. "Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz's story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham."
"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," said showrunner Lauren LeFranc.
Are you excited for The Batman's The Penguin spinoff? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!