The Batman Prevented a Major Villain From Being in the DCEU (& It Was Perfect)

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In the realm of the DC Extended Universe, there’s been no standalone Batman movie, but it’s brimming with significant characters from Gotham City. The central character, of course, has a major presence in both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Characters from Batman’s infamous rogues’ gallery also made appearances, with Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn standing out among them. After her introduction in 2016’s Suicide Squad, Robbie took the lead in Birds of Prey. In this film, Harley teams up with Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya to save Cassandra Cain from the clutches of Gotham’s crime boss, Roman Sionis, known as Black Mask. Interestingly, the original idea for the movie had the Birds of Prey confronting a different villain from Gotham: the Penguin.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly while publicizing their new film titled “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey”, Robbie along with her co-star Colin Farrell shared some insights. In the chat, Robbie disclosed that the initial script for “Birds of Prey” had the Penguin as the main antagonist. However, this needed alteration due to Matt Reeves’ intentions to utilize the Penguin in his project “The Batman”. So, they decided to replace it with Black Mask instead. This information caught Farrell off guard, given that he portrayed the Penguin in both “The Batman” and its television adaptation “The Penguin”.

The Penguin is a Major Part of Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga

In the movie “The Batman,” Penguin plays a secondary role, yet it’s evident that director Matt Reeves has grand designs for the character in his Batman Crime Epic Saga. The storyline of The Penguin follows Oz Cobbs’ rise to power within Gotham’s criminal underworld, paving the way for his appearance in “The Batman Part II.” Whether there will be a follow-up series for The Penguin (originally conceived as a limited series connecting the two films) remains uncertain. However, Oz Cobbs is expected to continue playing a key role in the upcoming movies. Reeves intends to produce a third Batman film to complete a trilogy.

In simpler terms, “The Batman” and “The Penguin” are independent stories set apart from the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It’s imaginable that both “The Batman” and “Birds of Prey” could have included the character of The Penguin without conflicting with each other because they don’t intersect in any way. However, it makes sense why director Matt Reeves asked for this distinction, as introducing a new cinematic version of The Penguin so soon after he was the main antagonist in another movie might have left audiences confused. If Margot Robbie’s portrayal of The Penguin in “Birds of Prey” is as impressive as she hints, then “The Batman” would face a challenge explaining why there needs to be a different version of Oswald Cobblepot on the big screen.

If Reeves’ proposal wasn’t approved, he might have been driven to exclude The Penguin from the Batman Epic Crime Saga, which would have been a disheartening twist. However, Farrell’s portrayal of The Penguin has garnered extensive praise and even earned 24 Emmy nominations. Given the crime-focused nature of the saga, it seems plausible that someone as infamous as The Penguin would play a significant role. As a prominent figure in Gotham’s criminal underworld, his absence could potentially weaken Reeves’ franchise.

In the grand narrative of Batman’s Crime Saga, Penguin played a significant part, but he wasn’t necessarily crucial to be the “criminal mastermind” in the film Birds of Prey. There are plenty of characters within the DC universe who could have filled that role, especially those connected to Batman. Consequently, it was straightforward for Birds of Prey to swap Penguin for Black Mask. In the end, this change proved beneficial. Ewan McGregor delivered an entertaining portrayal of Sionis in Birds of Prey, and Farrell is leaving a lasting impact on Reeves’ Batman series.

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2025-08-22 19:40