The Penguin is a far more complex character than you could ever imagine, and HBO’s The Penguin starring Colin Farrell explores the rise of this dark and misunderstood character. Let’s look at some of the character's history.

How did the Penguin get his nickname?
There are a few reasons why this character is called the Penguin, and it differs from comic book to movie. For starters, co-creator of the Batman comics Bill Finger thought that the tuxedos high society men wore resembled penguins. Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is known for wearing a signature penguin-like tuxedo. Oswald was bullied in school for his stout appearance and long nose that resembles a penguin’s beak. He is also known for his penguin-like waddle. Farrell was praised for nailing this waddle in The Batman. Mix all three characteristics, and voila, you have the Penguin. 

Love of birds
Every true villain has an obsession: Catwoman is obsessed with cats, The Joker with himself, and the Penguin with penguins. Since the inception of the comic books, the Penguin has had a strange fascination with birds. How did this come about? Well, Cobblepot's parents owned a bird shop, where he spent most of his time studying the species, which was the birth of his obsession. He eventually studied ornithology in college. The character has been noted for stealing bird artefacts throughout his history. We love the Penguin’s fascination with birds, as it builds on the eccentric nature of the character, but manages to show how intelligent and informed he is about the species. 

 Whoa! Whoa! Take it easy, sweetheart! - The Penguin, The Batman 2022

That purple Maserati!
The Penguin's choice of transport in The Batman is a purple Maserati, a fitting car for his character. Purple is associated with royalty; while the Penguin may not be from a royal family, he lives a lavish lifestyle and is accustomed to the finer things in life, all thanks to his links to the criminal underworld. Gotham City's villain is set to drive the purple machine again in the upcoming series. Here's that magnificent chase scene between him and Batman in The Batman.

Superpowers and the umbrella
Cobblepot does not have any superpowers like superheroes do. However, he has an array of gadgets that aid him in his crime-fueled escapades. His item of choice is his collection of signature trick umbrellas with built-in weaponry ranging from guns to sword blades. Some origins of the Penguin’s story state that the reason he carries an umbrella can be traced back to his childhood. As a child, his father died of pneumonia, and in fear that he would meet the same fate, his mother forced him to carry an umbrella in case of sudden rain.

Here’s a scene of him using one of his umbrellas from the 1992 movie Batman Returns. The legendary Danny DeVito played the Penguin in the movie.

The Batman link to The Penguin
The Penguin is a direct spinoff of Matt Reeves's 2022 movie, The Batman, which also starred Farrell. That's where we first saw the unbelievable transformation of Farrell into the Penguin through the magic of makeup and prosthetics.

Watch the transformation here:

In the movie, Penguin, an aspiring mob boss, runs an underground club in Gotham City for the infamous crime lord Carmine Falcone. While Batman goes on a deadly mission to uncover the true identity of the Riddler and solve his sinister riddles, he confronts the Penguin to get answers. We see what a smart-talking smart-ass the Penguin is; he truly has a way with words.

Here’s a scene from The Batman where Batman confronts the Penguin about Riddler’s true identity.

What the hell is this? Good cop, *bat-sh*t* cop? - The Penguin, The Batman 2022

We had a glimpse of how ruthless he is in the movie, and it’s going to be further explored in the upcoming series. Where do we pick up from after the movie? Ok, here's a quick rewind: The Penguin is set exactly one week after the events of The Batman. Gotham City is in ruins after The Riddler blew up its seawall, thus leaving the city underwater. Carmine Falcone is dead, Penguin was his capo, and these events leave room for the Penguin’s rise in the criminal underworld to be fully explored. The series will also focus on the Penguin's relationship with Falcone's children, Sofia and Alberto, as he takes their father's place as the new kingpin of Gotham City. The series follows the dark tone of the movie, taking you deep inside the mind of the Penguin, and what drives him to raise an empire of his own.

Watch director Matt Reeves and star Colin Farrell talk about the show:

Watch the Penguin's story unfold Express from the US on Mondays at 03:00 or in prime time at 21:00. Please note episode 1 will premiere Express from the US on Friday 20 September at 03:00 on #MNet101. You can also stream it on DStv Stream. Join the conversation on social media @mnet on X, @MNet on Facebook, @mnettv on Instagram, and @mnet on TikTok.

Feature image: HBO