Why ‘The Penguin’ Recast a Major Villain from Reeves’ Batman Universe for the Series

When Colin Farrell was cast as Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, many fans were uncertain about what to expect. Farrell didn’t physically resemble the character, which sparked concerns.

However, the costume design team worked wonders, and Farrell delivered a standout performance as a formidable villain. His portrayal was so impressive that HBO quickly greenlit a standalone spin-off series focused on The Penguin.

Titled The Penguin, the series premiered on September 19, 2024, and has been met with widespread acclaim from both fans and critics, who praise it as a stellar example of world-building and a worthy continuation of Reeves’ film. The cast’s performances are also receiving high marks, with many seeing Reeves’ Batman universe truly taking shape.

One of the most talked-about aspects of the series is its casting. Not long ago, we reported that Mark Strong had joined the show in a major role.

It has now been confirmed that he is playing none other than Carmine Falcone, and we have the reason behind the recasting of John Turturro’s character for the series.

If you recall, a rumor first surfaced from the Instagram account of personal trainer Giacomo Farci, who shared images of Mark Strong from a training session.

When a fan asked if the training was for The Penguin, Farci confirmed, saying, “Yes, I’ve trained Mark for it.” This was the first clue about Strong joining the series. Initially, we speculated that he might be playing Roman Sionis, but it turns out he’s taking on the role we least expected. However, we did get one thing right.

Mark Strong is indeed playing Carmine Falcone in the series—specifically, a younger version of the character. While we mentioned this as a possibility, we ruled it out, thinking it didn’t quite make sense.

John Turturro, who portrayed Falcone in The Batman, isn’t too old to be made younger with simple makeup, and his appearance in the film wasn’t overly complex, meaning it would have been feasible to de-age him for the series. Yet, the decision was made to recast Falcone, and showrunner Lauren LeFranc has revealed the reason behind it.

Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn’t make it work, but honestly, I’m so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on.

I think he’s really good. Even though, maybe in the beginning when you first meet him, you might think, “Oh. Well, for fans of The Batman, I’m so used to John Turturro,” and obviously John’s a great actor, but I feel like the gravitas that Mark brings, it’s different. It’s very specific, and I hope, by the end of that episode, you’re just thinking, “That’s Carmine Falcone,” and you’re engaged in what Mark brings to it.

Source: IGN

As you can see, Turturro wasn’t replaced or let go—he simply couldn’t reprise the role (perhaps his Severance schedule played a part?). That said, Mark Strong is an excellent choice to step in, and since he’s portraying a younger version of Carmine Falcone, the continuity of the character remains seamless.

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