‘The Penguin’ Episode 2 Reveals Exciting New Details About Its Setting and Ties to ‘The Batman’ Movie

Many fans were initially skeptical about Colin Farrell being cast as Oz Cobb, also known as The Penguin, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. There was uncertainty about what to expect from the role, especially since some worried that Farrell didn’t quite fit the part.

However, the costume designers did an exceptional job transforming him into the iconic character, and Farrell delivered a fantastic performance as the villain. The character was so well-received that HBO immediately greenlit a standalone spin-off series.

Since its premiere on September 19, 2024, the series, aptly titled The Penguin, has received positive reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Viewers have praised it as a prime example of world-building and a worthy continuation of Reeves’ film. Fans are also applauding the cast’s performances, which contribute to the depth of the lore in Reeves’ universe.

Notably, Episode 2 of The Penguin plays a crucial role in expanding this universe, as it finally establishes and reveals the timeline of the entire franchise. The episode confirms the setting, allowing us to pinpoint when both The Batman and The Penguin take place.

If you recall Reeves’ film, which presented a “Year Two” interpretation of the story, Batman was portrayed as a somewhat mythical figure in Gotham. While people were aware of his presence, he remained shrouded in mystery, with exaggerated tales circulating about him.

The fear surrounding Batman was more about what he represented than the man himself. At that point, the Caped Crusader was not a well-known entity, emphasizing that this chapter was very early in Batman’s journey.

Given Reeves’ intention to depict a contemporary Gotham, many fans speculated that the film was set in 2019, suggesting that The Penguin would also take place in the same year. This assumption stemmed from various set photos and background details released during production, all of which pointed to a 2019 timeline that seemed logical.

However, Episode 2 of The Penguin has confirmed that The Batman is actually set in 2022. In this episode, it’s revealed that Alberto Falcone died on November 13, 2022, which establishes that The Batman shares the same timeline.

This also indicates that The Batman: Part II will likely be set in late 2022 or early 2023, especially since a winter setting has been confirmed. Episode director Craig Zobel commented on this timeline, providing further clarification.

Screenrant: We learned that The Batman was set in 2022 through this episode, which we didn’t know before. Was that something that was consciously carried over into The Penguin , or what was the discussion about finally confirming that this is the timeline that we’re running with?

Craig Zobel: I can’t really speak for Matt a hundred percent, but my impression was that Matt sort of had decided the timeline before even Lauren [LeFranc] had started crafting the story and that it was certainly supposed to be 2022. It just maybe hadn’t gotten mentioned directly in the movie, but I think the gift of that movie is that it’s just a very specific world and look.

Source: ScreenRant

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