Among every live-action adaptation of the Penguin, Colin Farrell's and Burgess Meredith's seem to be the most faithful to the comics, as Danny DeVito's and Robin Lord Taylor's iterations took several creative liberties in order to portray the Penguin as a more extravagant villain. Colin Farrell's Penguin, in particular, focuses on the character's most realistic characters. The Penguin's Oz Cobb is a theacherous crime lord with a sensitive side.
The Penguin Has Completely Changed Oz's Origin
The Penguin's First Crime Has Different Motivations In The Comics
There are a few major differences between the Penguin's origin story in The Penguin and the rest of the DC multiverse. Oswald Cobblepot either hates or doesn't know his father, loves his mother, and kills his brothers at a young age. In the comics, however, Oz murders his three brothers in revenge for their constant bullying. Meanwhile, The Penguin's version of Oz isn't bullied by his two brothers, yet he leaves them for dead in order to receive all his mother's attention. Oz also doesn't snap and lash out against his brothers. Instead, he realizes that they'll die and chooses not to save them.
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The Penguin episode 7 shows how a DC villain inherits Batman's first nickname, which he abandoned at the end of Matt Reeves' The Batman.
Unlike most versions of the Penguin, Oz Cobb's physical appearance isn't too relevant in his origin story. Oz seemingly isn't mocked for his appearance during childhood, and he adapts to the limp in his leg from a young age. In the source material, Oswald Cobblepot struggles with deep insecurities due to his unique body shape and facial features, which he learns to embrace as he falls deeper into villainy. Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb loathes his "Penguin" nickname, but it doesn't seem to be as relevant as it is in the comics.
The Penguin Sets Up Oz's Comics-Accurate Costume
The Penguin Episode 7 Reveals Why Oz Will Wear A Top Hat And A Tuxedo
Custom image by Nicolas Ayala The Penguin episode 7's flashback to Oz Cobb's childhood reveals that Oz liked to watch the 1935 musical comedy Top Hat starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. After trapping his brothers in the flooding sewers, Oz goes back home to watch Top Hat with his mother. This is when Oz realizes that Jack and Benny won't make it out alive. Oz lingers on the thought for a moment, but chooses to cuddle with his mother and enjoy the film. Oz seems to be particularly enthralled by the tuxedos and top hats worn by T op Hat's male characters during the film's dance sequences.
As soon as Oz takes over Gotham's criminal underworld, he may start wearing a tuxedo and a top hat to symbolize his status
Watching Top Hat while embracing murderous desires was certainly a key moment in Oz's life. However, there's more to Top Hat for Oz than an essential childhood memory. Once Oz understood that he was the only remaining person who could take care of his mother, he developed an obsession for wealth, which led him to a life of crime. Top Hat's tuxedos and top hats represent classic symbols of prestige and informed Oz's perception of opulence and exclusivity. As soon as Oz takes over Gotham City's criminal underworld, he may start wearing a tuxedo and a top hat to symbolize his status.
The Penguin's Umbrella Gets A Dark New Origin
Oz Cobb May Start Mocking His Brother's Twisted Deaths
Oz's mother Frances still laments the fact that Jack and Benny didn't take their own umbrellas the day they died, ignoring the real reason why they died. Whatever happens in The Penguin season finale, Oz may see that fateful day under a different light and start wearing a top hat and a tuxedo, as well as using an umbrella. Oz may no longer want to hide his blame for his brother's murders and fully embrace his desire to show off wealth and power in his own twisted way.
Throughout The Penguin , Oz' wardrobe has become increasingly similar to his comic book outfits.
The Penguin's favorite weapon in the source material is a customized umbrella with a wide variety of deadly modifications, chief among them a gun. Although the Penguin's iconic umbrella seemed too unrealistic to include in Matt Reeves' The Batman, Oz Cobb's character arc in The Penguin could lead him to fabricate a weaponized umbrella. Perhaps Frances' death at the hand of Sofia Gigante could remove the last boundary keeping Oz from doubling down on his brothers' murders.
Showrunner Lauren LeFranc
Directors Craig Zobel
Release Date September 19, 2024
Prequel The Batman (2022)
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English (US) ·