The past weekend was a thrilling one for cinephiles and DC fans alike. The all virtual DC Fandome took place over two days, revealing a ton of exciting updates on the DC Extended Universe. This includes the first brutal and intriguing trailer for Matt Reeves' The Batman, which will feature a ton of origin stories. This includes Colin Farrell's version of The Penguin, which fans discovered upon re-watching the footage. Farrell is unrecognizable as Oswald Cobblepot, and fan reactions are A+.
It's easy to miss Colin Farrell's Penguin on the first watch of The Batman trailer. The footage is limited, and there aren't a ton of clear views of any characters. The movie's moody tone is established immediately, although we can see what Farrell will look like as the iconic DC villain. Fans quickly took to twitter to express their disbelief, check it out.
Is that you, Mr. Farrell? We knew that Colin Farrell was going through a major transformation to play Penguin in The Batman, but seeing the finished product is pretty mind blowing. Farrell went to the same prosthetic company that made the transformation for Broadways' Mrs. Doubtfire possible, and the look is seamless.
Said make up is getting a ton of attention as a result of fans spotting Colin Farrell in the trailer for The Batman. One particular fan threw praise as the prosthesis necessary to transform the actor into one of Batman's most iconic foes. As they put it,
Some other responses were a bit more humorous, as The Batman's trailer quickly spread around social media and broke the internet. Given how popular Batman is, the hero and his rogues have been adapted in a variety of TV and film projects. While Danny DeVito is the most notable Penguin thus far, the villain also had a recurring role in Batman: The Animated Series. As such, fans used this iconography to poke fun at Farrell's surprising look for The Batman, saying:
While social media can be dark place, tweets like the one above almost make it all worth it. Colin Farrell is a sex symbol, so seeing him become Oswald Cobblepot in a few brief shots of The Batman are truly jarring. It just goes to show Matt Reeves' specific vision for the movie, which also features unconventional versions of Riddler and Catwoman.
Colin Farrell certainly doesn't look like himself in The Batman, but some fans think that he actually resembled other actors. The most popular comparison seems to be with former Batman actor Val Kilmer, with some fans posting side by side images to compare Farrell's look as The Penguin. Check it out below.
Well, that's one image you'll never unsee. While Colin Farrell is no doubt bringing his signature charisma to his role in The Batman, some fans believe him to really resemble Val Kilmer. So while the prosthetics bringing Penguin to life are impressive, some Twitter users joked that production could have saved money and simply cast Kilmer instead. There are a variety of comparisons to the 60 year old actor being posted, case in point being:
Of course, Val Kilmer isn't the only actor that fans are comparing to Colin Farrell's Penguin. The same shot from The Batman's first trailer is also made some fans think of iconic character actor Richard Kind. Prosthetics are some powerful thing, as you can see below.
Clearly there are a lot of thoughts about The Batman's first footage. This should only increase anticipation for Matt Reeves' upcoming DC debut, as more trailers and interviews shed light on the director's vision for the blockbuster. The long gestating movie won't be directly connected to the universe of Justice League, allowing Reeves to make bold narrative choices with his characters.
As a reminder, you can check out the first trailer for The Batman below.
This looks like a very unique take on Batman and his villains, including Colin Farrell's Penguin. The Riddler and Catwoman's looks are both unlike anything we've seen from the characters. What's more, the world of Gotham City feels real and gritty, pulling back from the colorful world of the greater DC Extended Universe.
The Batman is currently set to arrive in theaters on October 1st, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
