“You can see that he wants more”: Not Al Pacino, The Batman Star Colin Farrell Was Inspired by the Unlikeliest Character from ‘The Godfather’ to Play Iconic Villain

Colin Farrell had an exceptional outing in 2022, with critically acclaimed roles in Thirteen Lives, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Batman. Farrell even received an Academy Award nomination for his role as Pádraic Súilleabháin in The Banshees of Inisherin. However, Farrell was almost unrecognizable in his brief supporting role in The Batman.

Farrell played Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot aka the Penguin in the movie. In the comics, the Penguin is a crime kingpin, however, the Robert Pattinson starrer presented an earlier version of the character where he was just a mid-level mobster.

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Colin Farrell’s Penguin Drew Inspiration From This Character In The Godfather

Director of The Batman, Matt Reeves, compared Colin Farrell’s character to Fredo in The Godfather. In the film, Fredo Corleone, played by John Cazale, is the second son of Vito Corleone and the elder brother of Michael Corleone. Reeves attempted to bring Fredo’s showmanship and his inferiority complex to the character of Penguin. The Let Me In director shared with Empire magazine:

“There’s a touch of John Cazale as Fredo in ‘The Godfather.’ He’s a mid-level mobster guy and he’s got a bit of showmanship to him, but you can see that he wants more and that he’s been underestimated. He’s ready to make his move.”

In The Batman, Penguin serves as the chief lieutenant to Gotham’s crime boss, Carmine Falcone. The Godfather comparison underscores the inferior setting of the character as someone living among far more powerful, capable, and ruthless men. Fredo in The Godfather is constantly overshadowed by his brother Michael, which ultimately leads to his betrayal. Similarly, Penguin feels inadequate in his position and aspires to climb the criminal hierarchy.

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Colin Farrell Was Equally Fascinated By The Fredo Inspiration

Colin Farrell carried the character of Penguin flawlessly, donning a prosthetic suit with a scarred face. When Matt Reeves mentioned the influence of John Cazale’s Fredo to the In Burges actor, he was excited to explore the character. Farrell revealed that the weak and broken nature of Fredo forced him to commit the act of betrayal, which is a fitting characterization for the Batman villain. Farrell told the Empire magazine:

“There is a kind of fracture at the core of Oz, which fuels his desire and his ambition to rise within this criminal cabal. Where that rise goes … I would love to get to explore that in the second film, if that was ever to happen.”

As for Farrell’s desire for a second movie, a sequel for The Batman is indeed in the works. However, Farrell will reprise his role as the Penguin in a standalone series for the character, titled The Penguin. The series will explore Penguin’s ascent to power in Gotham City. The filming for the series was underway when the production was halted due to the strikes.

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The Penguin is scheduled for release on the streaming service Max, reportedly with eight episodes in 2024.

Source: Empire