Before the premiere of The Penguin on HBO, it’s crucial to understand one thing: his name is Oz Cobb, so don’t refer to him by his other name.
Colin Farrell reprises his role as the iconic Batman villain in this much-anticipated series, which will continue the epic crime saga initiated by filmmaker Matt Reeves in 2022.
The series will delve into Oz’s quest for power within the fractured landscape of Gotham City as he competes for control against Sofia Falcone, portrayed by Cristin Milioti, the newly liberated daughter of the deceased crime boss Carmine Falcone.
For those familiar with the history of superhero films, you might recognize that the Penguin has undergone significant evolution over the past seventy years—yet Farrell’s iteration stands out, particularly concerning his name.
Why The Penguin Series Altered His Name
Traditionally, the Penguin is known as Oswald Cobblepot in the comics. However, in the new HBO series, the character’s name has been changed to Oz Cobb to create a more “grounded” persona.
In The Batman, the character was referred to simply as “Oz,” leading many to assume it was a shortened form of his full name. However, he is not Oswald, nor does he belong to the Cobblepot lineage—he’s strictly Oz Cobb.
Producer Dylan Clark explained to SFX Magazine: “They never got around to changing his name in the comics like they did with the Riddler, who transitioned from Edward Nigma to Edward Nashton, turning an unreal name into a real one. By doing this, they grounded the character.”
It makes sense for him to prefer a shortened name; being a prideful individual, he likely wouldn’t want to be mocked for a more whimsical birth name.
As showrunner Lauren LeFranc elaborated, they are essentially building a new canon. “Matt has created new canon in his film, and I’m establishing a new canon in this series. We have familiar characters but with a distinct twist,” she stated.
“In the Gotham City portrayed in Matt’s film, Cobblepot feels less like a genuine person compared to Cobb, which is a more realistic surname. He’s a gangster, and this name feels more accurate.”
However, many fans have expressed dissatisfaction with the name change. One user remarked, “That’s honestly a dumb name change,” while another commented, “Oz Cobb sounds really stupid.”
“I don’t understand. How is the name ‘Cobblepot’ not grounded in a film about a billionaire orphan dressing as a six-foot bat and stalking criminals at 3 AM?” questioned another fan.
It’s worth noting that this change received the endorsement of Jim Lee, DC Comics chief. LeFranc stated, “Matt asked, ‘Can I call our character Oz Cobb?’ and Jim responded, ‘Absolutely!’ So we received the green light from the king himself. This small tweak in the name allowed us to view this character from a grounded perspective.”
The first episode of The Penguin will be available on HBO on September 19, running for a total of eight episodes, concluding on November 10, 2024.
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