The DC Extended Universe is once again reiterating the origins of Bruce "Batman" Wayne and how he came to be the Dark Knight. There may be no Wayne family murder in crime alley this time, but familiar foes will reappear in the Caped Crusader's reboot.
Actor Colin Farrel has already been deemed as "unrecognizable" as Oswald "the Penguin" Cobblepot, but one of Batman's most enduring villains may not be as central as fans have hoped him to be. Farrell, joined by MTV's Josh Horowitz, broke down the changes that were made to the comic book movie during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Obviously, COVID began to grip the world while we were shooting and I left London in March [2020] and we were still down for four or five months," said Ferrell. "And then we went back and then obviously [Bruce Wayne actor] Robert [Pattinson] got sick and that was like, ['eff'ing] Batman has COVID?'" Farrell said.
According to the Irish-born actor, the entire production took between twelve to fourteen months to complete. "I'm only in it for five or six scenes [as Penguin], so I can't wait to see the film 'cause it won't be ruined by my presence," he added. "It's a freebie for me. I'll get a little uncomfortable for the fucking nine minutes I have and then the rest I cannot wait to see how [writer-director Matt Reeves] brought this world to life."
Farrel is the freshest face to bring the umbrella-bearing mobster on screen following actor Burgess Meredith's character interpretation in the 1960s. More famously, actor Danny DeVito took on a darker iteration and actor Robin Lord brought a younger version of the Penguin to television. Farrels' dramatic transformation into the potbellied Gentleman of Crime. A first look can be spotted in The Batman's teaser trailer.
The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, arrives in theaters on March 4, 2022. Colin Farrell and Robert Pattinson are to star in the film opposite an ensemble that includes Zoë Kravitz as Selina "Catwoman" Kyle and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth.