The supervillain the Penguin, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger,[1] made his first appearance in Detective Comics #58 (December 1941). Since then, he has been adapted into other forms of media, including feature films, television series, and video games.
Television
Live-action
Burgess Meredith as The Penguin in Batman.Robin Lord Taylor portrays a younger Oswald Cobblepot on the 2014 TV series Gotham.
The Penguin appears in Batman (1966), portrayed by Burgess Meredith. This version possesses a "quacking" laugh, which covered a cough caused by cigarette usage.[2]
A young Oswald Cobblepot appears in Gotham, portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor.[3] The series follows his journey to power, starting as a ruthless small-time criminal working for mobster Fish Mooney[4] and his love-hate relationship with fellow criminal Edward Nygma.
The Batman (2022) incarnation of Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin will appear in a self-titled spin-off series, portrayed again by Colin Farrell.[5][6]
The Penguin was set to appear in Challenge of the Superfriends as a member of the Legion of Doom. However, due to the development of The New Adventures of Batman, the Penguin was removed.[7]
The Penguin appears in television series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Paul Williams.[8] This version's initial design is visually inspired by the Batman Returns incarnation before he was redesigned to more resemble his comic counterpart.
The Penguin first appears in Batman: The Animated Series (1992), where he is served by several henchmen - Jay, Raven, Eagleton, Falcone, and Sheldrake - as well as trained birds.
The Penguin appears in The New Batman Adventures, in which he has founded the Iceberg Lounge and seemingly reformed while secretly continuing his criminal activities.
The Penguin appears in The Batman (2004), voiced by Tom Kenny.[8] This version turned to crime to rebuild his wealth and re-establish his family name. Additionally, he is aided by two silent henchmen, the Kabuki Twins, whom he recruited during a trip to China, and has history with Alfred Pennyworth's family.
The Penguin appears in the first two seasons of Harley Quinn, voiced by Wayne Knight. This version is Jewish, has a nephew named Joshua (voiced by Sean Giambrone), and appears as a member of the Legion of Doom in the first season and the Injustice League in the second season. In the latter season, he and the League take over Gotham City after the Joker destroys it before Harley Quinn kills him in retaliation for being excluding from the League.[8]
The Batman (1966) incarnation of the Penguin appears in the series' film adaptation, portrayed again by Burgess Meredith.
Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin appears in Batman Returns, portrayed by Danny DeVito. As an infant, this version was left for dead by his family due to birth defects before he is found by penguins from a condemned Gotham City zoo. As a child, he joined the Red Triangle Circus Gang as part of their freak show before eventually taking over. DeVito's portrayal as the Penguin was largely praised, though some considered him inferior to Jack Nicholson's Joker in Batman (1989). Additionally, DeVito was suggested for the role by his friend Nicholson following Batman (1989)'s success.[10] According to DeVito, "It was four-and-a-half hours of makeup and getting into the costume. We got it down to three hours by the end of the shoot".[11] Uncredited script doctor, Wesley Strick, recalled, "When I was hired to write [Batman Returns], the big problem of the script was the Penguin's lack of a 'master plan'."[12] He took inspiration from a Moses parallel that had the Penguin killing the firstborn sons of Gotham. A similar notion was used when the Penguin's parents threw him into a river as a baby.[12] While this Penguin retained many trademarks, such as his top hat, a variety of trick umbrellas and the use of a monocle, he was given a dramatic visual makeover. Where the comic version varies between having a balding head of short cropped hair and varying degrees of thinning, this Penguin is still bald at the top but with his remaining length of hair long and stringy. His hands are flippers with a thumb and index finger, and the remaining three fingers fused together. An unidentified thick, dark green bile-like liquid sometimes trickles from his nose and mouth. Instead of a tuxedo, he wears a more gothic, Victorian-style outfit with a jabot as opposed to a bow tie. In certain scenes, he also wears black boots, a dickey, and a union suit. He also has a penguin-like appetite, as shown in a scene where he devours a raw fish, and uses a vehicle shaped like a giant rubber duck to move around the sewers and the city. Janet Maslin in The New York Times described DeVito as "conveying verve".[13]Peter Travers in Rolling Stone wrote that "DeVito's mutant Penguin — a balloon-bellied Richard III with a kingdom of sewer freaks — is as hilariously warped as Jack Nicholson's Joker and even quicker with the quips."[14]Desson Howe in The Washington Post wrote that the Penguin holds court in a penguin-crowded, Phantom of the Opera-like sewer home. He also described DeVito as "exquisite".[15]Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times compared the Penguin negatively with the Joker of the first film, writing that "the Penguin is a curiously meager and depressing creature; I pitied him, but did not fear him or find him funny. The genius of Danny DeVito is all but swallowed up in the paraphernalia of the role."[16]Jonathan Rosenbaum called DeVito "a pale substitute for Jack Nicholson from the first film" and felt that "there's no suspense in Batman Returns whatsoever".[17]
A young Oswald Cobblepot appears in The Batman (2022), portrayed by Colin Farrell, who received DeVito's blessing for the role.[18] This version is the right-hand man of crime lord Carmine Falcone. Additionally, he resents the "Penguin" nickname and owns the Iceberg Lounge nightclub.[19][20]
The Penguin appears in the Batman Unlimited series of films, voiced again by Dana Snyder.[8] This version is the leader of the Animilitia who possesses a robotic monocle.
A Feudal Japan-inspired incarnation of the Penguin appears in Batman Ninja, voiced by Chō in the Japanese dub and again by Tom Kenny in the English dub.[23][24][25][8]
The Penguin appears in Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, voiced again by William Salyers.[8] This version is a professor and explorer who helped found Gotham City centuries prior before gaining longevity through dark magic. In the present, he embarks on an expedition to Antarctica, coming to live with its penguin population after the deaths of his crewmates.
The Penguin appears in Merry Little Batman, voiced by Brian George.[26][27] This version is elderly and confined to a mobility scooter.
The Penguin appears in Batman: The Telltale Series, voiced by Jason Spisak as an adult and by Cole Sand as a child.[8] This version is a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne and a member of the Children of Arkham terrorist group whose name is derived from a beak-shaped gas mask he wears during his crimes. Additionally, he seeks revenge on the Wayne family after Bruce's father Thomas Wayne had the Penguin's mother Esther drugged, rendered psychotic, and forcibly committed to Arkham Asylum for refusing to sell land she owned to him. Due to his friendship with Bruce, the Penguin attempts to warn him about the Children of Arkham's plans before helping them attack Gotham City, during which he may scar Harvey Dent depending on the player's choices, before he is eventually defeated by Batman.
The Penguin was set to appear as a playable character in Injustice 2, but was cut for unknown reasons.[28]
Penguin appears in the Batman: Arkham franchise, voiced by Nolan North in the main series and Ian Redford in Batman: Arkham VR.[31][32] This version's monocle is part of a glass bottle that was shoved into his face and became lodged too deeply to safely remove. He also speaks with an East London dialect, which is heavily implied to be an attempt at making himself more intimidating to his followers.
The Penguin first appears in Batman: Arkham City as a criminal kingpin of the titular city prison until he is defeated by Batman and imprisoned by Mr. Freeze.[33]
A young Penguin appears in Batman: Arkham Origins as a weapons dealer based in a refitted cruise liner called the Final Offer until he is arrested in the Cold, Cold Heart DLC following a failed alliance with Mr. Freeze.
The Batman Returns incarnation of the Penguin received a figure in the film's tie-in toy line.
The DCAU incarnation of the Penguin, based on his Batman: The Animated Series design, received a figure in the series' tie-in toy line.
The Batman (2004) incarnation of the Penguin received a figure in the series' tie-in toy line.
Several incarnations of the Penguin received several plush dolls and vinyl figures from Funko.
The Batman Returns incarnation of the Penguin served as inspiration for Madame Alexander's DC Fashion Squad line.
The Batman Returns incarnation of the Penguin received a 6-inch action figure as part of Mattel'sDC Multiverse Signature Collection.
References
^Detective Comics #58
^"Burgess Meredith interview". Dial B for Blog. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
^Murphy, Shaunna (September 4, 2014). "'Gotham': Meet The Show's Breakout Villain In This Exclusive Video". MTV. New York City: Viacom. Archived from the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved Jun 4, 2015.
^White, Peter (September 13, 2021). "'The Batman' Spinoff Series Centered On The Penguin In The Works At HBO Max". Deadline. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
^D'Alessandro, Anthony (2022-03-09). "HBO Max Orders 'The Penguin' Limited Series As 'The Batman' Clocks $301 Million+ At Global Box Office". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
^Nobleman, Marc Tyler (29 July 2011). "Super '70s and '80s: "Super Friends" – Darrell McNeil, animator". Noblemania. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad"Penguin Voices (Batman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 1, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
^Schreur, Brandon (May 19, 2022). "Batman's Villains Get a Radical Makeover for Batmobile-Starring Batwheels". CBR. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
^"Six Things You Didn't Know About Jack Nicholson". AMC. Retrieved 2019-11-13.
^"'Batman Returns' at 25: Stars Reveal Script Cuts, Freezing Sets and Aggressive Penguins". The Hollywood Reporter. 19 June 2017.
^ a bHughes, David (2003). "Batman". Comic Book Movies. Virgin Books. pp. 33–46. ISBN 0-7535-0767-6.
^Janet Maslin (June 19, 1992). "Movie Review—Batman Returns". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
^Peter Travers (February 7, 2001). "Batman Returns". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
^Howe, Desson (June 19, 1992). "Batman Returns". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
^"Batman". Roger Ebert. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
^Jonathan Rosenbaum (June 19, 1992). "Batman". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
^"'The Batman': Colin Farrell says Danny DeVito gave him 'the green light' to play Penguin (exclusive)". Yahoo!News. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
^Couch, Aaron (November 22, 2019). "'The Batman' Casts John Turturro as Crime Boss Carmine Falcone". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
^"Street Tree Aesthetics", Seeing Trees, Yale University Press, pp. 43–66, 2019, doi:10.2307/j.ctv8jp086.6, ISBN 978-0-300-24070-2
^Chris McKay [@buddboetticher] (29 May 2017). "@ArthurDenorfia It was one of our editors John Venzon" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^"サイト名". dc-taka.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
^"'Batman Ninja' Anime: First Details & Poster Revealed". Anime.
^"ニンジャバットマン BATMAN NINJA公式サイト【2018年6月15日(金) 劇場公開】". warnerbros.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved July 3, 2018.
^Ressler, Karen (February 13, 2018). "Batman Ninja Anime's English Trailer Reveals Dub Cast, Home Video Release". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
^Melissa, Billie (2023-11-14). "Luke Wilson Is Bruce Wayne in Merry Little Batman". Men's Journal | Streaming. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
^Milligan, Mercedes (November 19, 2023). "Trailer: 'Merry Little Batman' Brings a Lighter Dark Knight Tale to Prime Video". Retrieved November 20, 2023.
^Fischer, Tyler (October 13, 2018). "'Injustice 2' Concept Art Reveals Scrapped Characters Including Constantine, Penguin, and More". comicbook.com.
^Game Informer features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "LEGO Batman: Character Gallery", Game Informer 186 (October 2008): 93.
^GameSpot Trailers (July 19, 2018). "LEGO DC Super-Villains - Official Character Creator Trailer - SDCC 2018" – via YouTube.
^Logan Westbrook. "Arkham City's Penguin Shares a Voice With Nathan Drake". The Escapist. Archived from the original on 2018-12-12. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
^"Voice Of Penguin - Batman | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 25, 2017. Checkmark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
^"Batman: Arkham City • Portrait of a Penguin". Arkhamcity.co.uk. 2011-05-25. Archived from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2011-07-12.
^Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, Armature Studio (2013)
^"Batman: Arkham Knight Game Guide & Walkthrough: Penguin Side Mission". Game Pressure. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
^McNulty, Thomas (March 2, 2023). "Every DC Villain Helping Suicide Squad In Kill The Justice League". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
External links
Oswald Cobblepot (Burtonverse) on DC Database, a DC Comics wiki
Tim Burton's Original Batman Returns Had A Weird Penguin & Catwoman Team-Up
Batman Returns: The Actors Who Almost Played The Penguin
CREATING PENGUIN’S PROSTHETICS FOR ‘BATMAN RETURNS’
BATMAN RETURNS - CREATING THE PENGUIN'S ARMY OF PENGUINS
Why Batman Returns’ Danny DeVito Thinks Colin Farrell Will Be ‘Great’ As The Penguin In The Batman
Danny DeVito was eating WHAT in Batman Returns?
A monkey attacked Danny DeVito on the 'Batman Returns' set
'BATMAN RETURNS' ACTOR DANNY DEVITO REFLECTS ON TIM BURTON AND THE BENEFITS OF BEING THE PENGUIN
Danny DeVito Wants To Reprise His Role As Penguin In A Future Batman Film Archived 2021-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
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