This weekend saw the DCEU, also known as the DC Extended Universe, grow. Wonder Woman is officially in theaters, making it the fourth entry into the DC comic movie universe. Overall, the film could have easily stood as a standalone film, with minimal ties to the universe, outside the inclusion of Wayne Enterprises.
However, that will not stop fans from looking at what is on the horizon. Later this year, Justice League will be released, marking the universe’s first major team up for its core heroes. Batman and Wonder Woman will return to lead the team. Superman will rise from the dead. And Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg will get their first taste of major screen time.
After that, the plans for DC are a bit up in the air. We know we will eventually get a Shazam film. Flash will get his own film, which may include Cyborg. There is a Green Lantern Corps film in the works. Then there are a bunch of films rumored that are set around characters related to the Dark Knight himself.
Ben Affleck’s version of Batman is supposed to get a solo film. The Gotham CitySirens, which will pair the likes of Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman together is on the plate. We can not forget the likes of Nightwing and Batgirl as well, who are both expected to get their own films as well.
This is what brings us to actor Josh Gad. The man behind the voice of Olaf (you know, the snowman from Frozen), has been teasing fans on social media for some time now. But his most recent post that has fans buzzing really seems to point to him taking on the mantle of The Penguin, one of Batman’s most classic baddies.
Now, nothing is official. But it got this writer thinking. If Gad does indeed get tapped to play Mr. Cobblepot, where will the character fit into the cluttered DCEU picture?
The solo Batman film is rumored to include a number of his classic villains. Deathstoke is a pretty solid bet. I would imagine that The Joker is likely to make an appearance at well. Scarecrow is another that has been connected to the film. But would that make things too crowded for the likes of Oswald Cobblepot?
My guess would be yes. Given how many movies are in the works that could be centered in Gotham, there are plenty of places for the character to pop up. I am leaning towards saying The Gotham City Sirens will not be one where Gad, or whoever ends up playing the character, shows up. Given the core cast in that film will be female villains, there is no need to pit them against a classic character like Penguin. Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy will provide enough star power on the baddie side for that one.
That would mean Batgirl and Nightwing represent the two most likely candidates. In all honesty, the odds are virtually equal. Both characters will need a formidable foe to go against. Either one of them could be fighting to prove their worth to assisting Bruce Wayne. Who better than Penguin to take down as the villain?
There is nothing about the character that makes him crazy powerful. He is more of a mobster, who likes to use an umbrella as his main weapon. So pitting him against either of those two heroes, who both will rely on technology-based tools and hand-to-hand combat when fighting, does make sense.
Both films do have directors attached, telling fans that the studio does indeed plan on moving forward with them. I would guess that Penguin gets introduced in the first of the two to hit theaters. However, this will be in more of a supporting, background type of role. Then he could become the main bad guy in the other film.
This would allow whoever is playing the character to grow in the role over the course of several films. With such an iconic character, it would be a waste to only have him appear on screen once. With so many Batman-related films, splitting him among the two films mentioned certainly makes a ton of sense.
What do you think? Where will Penguin show up in the DCEU? Or is Gad just trolling fans, meaning the character may not show up at all? Tell us in the comments!