Based on what we’ve seen and heard from The Batman so far, the latest reboot for the Dark Knight isn’t going to be overstuffing itself with villainy, despite rumors making the rounds prior to the start of shooting that anywhere up to half a dozen antagonists were set to feature.
It looks as though Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton will be the big bad, setting a chain of events in motion that force Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader into action in an attempt to foil the biggest challenge he’s faced in his fledgling crimefighting career, but Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle and Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot will also be lurking in the background.
Reeves confirmed that The Batman will be an origin story of sorts for Riddler, Catwoman and Penguin, with Farrell confirming that he’s only set to appear in five or six scenes of the final cut. To that end, we’re hearing from our sources – the same ones who told us Riri Williams would debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever long before it was confirmed – that Penguin is being held back to play a much larger role in subsequent installments.
The Batman will find the future crime boss at the beginning of his career rising up the ranks of Gotham City’s underworld, so it stands to reason that he could become a recurring foe for Pattinson’s title hero throughout the entirety of the franchise, becoming more and more powerful with each new entry in the series.
Having spent so long in the makeup chair for the purpose of minimal screentime, you’d have to think Farrell’s commitment to being buried under prosthetics will eventually pay off big time in the long run.
