Why Robert Pattinson’s Batman won’t make an appearance in The Penguin? Showrunner’s insight

The Penguin series, an extension of Matt Reeves’ DC Elseworlds universe, won't feature Robert Pattinson’s Batman, despite fans' hopes. The revelation comes directly from showrunner Lauren LeFranc and executive producer Matt Reeves. They emphasized that the absence of Batman is intentional, offering a new perspective on Gotham.

Originally set to premiere on HBO on September 19, 2024, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, The Penguin will be re-aired several times through September 22. The next seven episodes will then be broadcast every Sunday night at that time from September 29 until November 10, 2024.

Set through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot, sometimes known as The Penguin, the show is set to explore the dark and gritty streets of the city. Batman's shadow looms big over Gotham, but his decision to keep Batman offscreen is motivated by a need to explore the city's underworld.

The show follows the events of "The Batman," when Gotham is still healing from the anarchy left by The Riddler. Following Oswald Cobblepot as he negotiates the criminal underworld in an attempt to grab authority in the void left by The Riddler's terror, Collin Farrell returns as the sly and aspirational Penguin, presenting a character driven to ascend Gotham's ranks.

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Explaining why Batman won’t appear in The Penguin

The Penguin won't have Robert Pattinson's Batman, which is a conscious narrative decision.

Showrunner Lauren Le Franc notes that the show seeks to present another view of Gotham. Batman offers a high-level perspective of the problems facing the city, but The Penguin lives on the streets.

In an interview with SFX Magazine, Le Franc said,

“Matt’s films are through the lens of the Batman, so you’re high up, looking down on the city,” LeFranc said.

“It’s a different perspective. With Oz, you’re in the city streets. You’re in the grit and the muck and the grime. He’s looking up, wanting to claw his way to the top.”

The show represents the daily reality of Gotham underworld's day-to-day realities, where people like Oswald Cobblepot work. Le Franc thinks that Batman's presence would eclipse this story, diverting focus from the subtleties of the city and the people attempting to survive there.

Lauren Le Franc adds that Gotham is a city full of narratives that don't always center on Batman directly. The Penguin aims to uncover these unsung stories, so illuminating the sinister sides of the city that sometimes lie under the caped crusaders' shadow.

Keeping Batman offscreen lets the show explore characters like Cobblepot, who are often cast in the background in Batman-centric tales. That offers a new perspective on Gotham that stresses the hardships and aspirations of its less well-known residents.

Showrunner’s insight on the series direction

Director of The Batman Matt Reeves and executive producer on the HBO show, backs this narrative direction. He sees the show as a logical development from the world The Batman produced although Batman's impact is felt throughout the show.

Reeves contends that the story The Penguin wants to tell cannot benefit from Batman's physical presence. The show focuses on how Gotham's surroundings affect its characters, especially those like Oswald Cobblepot who are molded by the city's corruption and bloodshed.

Reeves also underlines that the show is meant to stand on its own inside the larger DC Elseworlds universe. Batman's absence is a deliberate choice to investigate several facets of Gotham and not a void to be filled.

The show lets viewers see the city from a ground-level viewpoint, providing a closer view of the forces running its criminal underworld. The Penguin distinguishes itself from other Gotham-based stories with this focus on character-driven narrative.

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The impact of Batman’s absence

Batman's exclusion from The Penguin is about allowing other stories to breathe rather than about lessening the character's significance. Batman's presence often determines the storyline and may overshadow the growth of other characters.

The show looks further into the complexity of Gotham's criminal world free from the looming Dark Knight by keeping him offscreen. This HBO show is a more complex representation of characters like Oswald Cobblepot, who's sometimes considered a simple antagonist in Batman's narrative but takes centre stage in this show.

Lauren Le Franc's observation of this artistic decision exposes a strong awareness of Gotham's narrative possibilities. She and Matt Reeves are dedicated to enlarging the DC Elseworlds universe in a way that enhances the narrative terrain.