The highly anticipated series The Penguin is set to premiere next week, and early reviews are even better than those for The Batman.
Tim Burton introduced a darker take on Batman in 1989, followed by Christopher Nolan in 2008, who deepened the darkness and realism of the character. In 2022, Matt Reeves brought us the darkest version of the Dark Knight yet with The Batman.
The film was a massive success, earning over $770 million at the global box office, while critics also praised it, resulting in an impressive 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Colin Farrell portrayed the Penguin in The Batman, and now he’s reprising his role in a new spinoff series titled “Oz Cobb.”
The show premieres on Max next week and has already received an outstanding score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. Here’s what critics are saying:
Variety describes it as “A masterful examination of criminality, the show is twisted, disturbing and deeply enthralling.”
Kotaku praises the series as “well-written, well-paced, well-shot, and brilliantly acted,” highlighting that its episodes are concise and thoughtfully arranged, with showrunner Lauren LeFranc weaving in social commentary, thrilling action, family dynamics, and dark comedy.
NME notes that the series is driven by its rich character development and intricate storytelling. It elaborates on how Cobb evolves from a typical mafia character to a complex figure whose ambitions and resentments are meticulously unraveled, creating a compelling narrative.
Despite some criticism from Radio Times, which states that the series takes time to build up, it ultimately delivers explosive moments with the final episodes revealing shocking truths about the Penguin’s past, leading to intense scenes between Oz and Sofia. The finale promises to be unmissable.
Episode 1 of The Penguin will be available on HBO starting September 19, with a total of eight episodes concluding on November 10, 2024.
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