New promotional material forDC’sThe Penguinincludes major reveals about Matt Reeves’The Batmanuniverse.HBO’s upcomingThe Penguinseriesis set to expand onThe Batman’s lore, with Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot gaining power in Gotham’s criminal underworld after Carmine Falcone’s death. While The Penguin isn’t expected to feature other major DC characters like Batman and his rogue gallery, the series will likely set the stage for the events ofMatt Reeves’ upcomingThe Batman - Part II, which will introduce a new take on a still-unconfirmed DC villain.
On September 10th, 2024, Gotham City newspapers were distributed in Manhattan. These fictional newspapers addressthe events ofThe Batman’s ending and their aftermath. For instance, it reveals that escape rooms inspired by the Riddler’s attack on Gotham and the subsequent flood have popped up across the city. It also confirms that Carmine Falcone’s son Alberto has returned to Gotham. Al Falcone previously appeared in Andy Muschietti’s The Flash, where his plan to blow up Gotham was thwarted by Ben Affleck’s Batman, Ezra Miller’s Flash, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Besides these two pieces of information,The Penguin’s merch features four other key reveals.
The Penguin May Introduce The Batman’s Version Of Harvey Dent
The Penguin Merch Hints At Harvey Dent As Gotham’s New District Attorney
The first news story inThe Penguin’s fictional newspaper details the new Gotham District Attorney’s comments on crime and the justice system. The news piece begins with the phrase"is our legal system dented beyond repair?“and continues to explain that”… both sides of the courtroom don’t always agree"on how to classify crimes such as property theft.The words"dented"and"both sides"may be hinting to Harvey Dent, who becomes the Batman villain Two-Face in the comics. The newspaper also includes a drawing of the District Attorney, depicting him as a young white man.
PerhapsJoker: Folie a Deux’s Harvey Dent will remain a regular character, whileThe Penguin’s Dent will eventually transform into the iconic comic book villain
Harvey Dent is a perfect candidate for a primary or secondary antagonist inThe Penguin,The Batman - Part II, andThe Batman - Part III, as he can oppose criminals like the Penguin and vigilantes like Batman. The fact thatHarry Lawtey is playing Harvey Dent inJoker: Folie a Deuxwould suggest that Matt Reeves’The Batmanuniverse would avoid using the same characters, but it seems like a new version of Harvey Dent is still a possibility. PerhapsJoker: Folie a Deux’s Harvey Dent will remain a regular character, whileThe Penguin’s Dent will eventually transform into the iconic comic book villain.
Blackgate Riots Tease An Arkham-Like The Batman Sequel
Blackgate And Arkham May Be Approaching Breakouts In The Batman’s Upcoming Sequels
The second news story inThe Penguin’s newspaper is titled"Chaos in Blackgate?". It covers inmate riots at Blackgate Penitentiary, caused by bribes to prison staff, contraband weapons, and conflicts instigated by the Riddler’s negative influence on criminals. Allegedly, many guards are"willing to give prisoners whatever they want for the right price". While it seems like the situation is under control,riots across Gotham are likely to culminate in prison breakouts, not only at Blackgate but also at Arkham City, which is where the Riddler and the Joker are incarcerated. In fact, a prison break plan may be what the Joker is trying to execute with the Riddler’s help.
Will The Joker Be In The Batman 2? Deleted Scene Is The Perfect Set-Up
The Batman not only introduces a brand new Joker but also sets up what his role will be in the future of the franchise, including The Batman 2.
Batman dealing with multiple villains and criminals simultaneously after an Arkham breakout is a popular plot in both the comics and the famousArkhamvideo game franchise. Bane’s revolution inThe Dark Knight Riseshas been the closest any DC movie has gotten to a full-fledged prison escape story. Apart fromThe Penguin,The Batmanoriginally led to aGotham PDand anArkham Asylumspinoff series. Since these shows have been canceled, it’s possible thatThe Batman - Part IIorThe Batman - Part IIIwill center around a prison breakout.
Batman Missing From The Public Eye May Hint To A Few Comic Book Stories
Batman May Already Be Dealing With His Next Antagonists Before The Batman - Part II
Rather surprisingly,The Penguin’s newspaper includes a cartoon that features James Gordon being told by a police officer that"it’s been weeks"as they stand next to the Bat-Signal.It seems like Batman has been absent for several weeks, and the Dark Knight either couldn’t or didn’t want to inform Gordon about his whereabouts. The cartoon also shows grafitti with the words"vengeance"and"no more lies", suggesting that Gotham City residents have been inspired both by Batman and the Riddler’s actions, as Batman’s catchphrase used to be"vengeance"and the Riddler left clues with"no more lies"written on them.
Batman’s absence hints at a live-action adaptation of one or more specific comic book storylines. For instance,Batman R.I.P.follows Batman as he gets his life back following an attack by the Black Glove organization, who drug him and kidnap him, leading to an identity crisis. InBatman: No Man’s Land, Batman leaves Gotham in order to help rebuild the city from the outside, while various Gotham villains take over their own territories. The most likely option, however, might beBatman: The Court of Owls, where the titular secret organization traps Batman in a labyrinth with no food until he hallucinates.
The Riddler’s owl clue andThe Batman’s deep corruption themes suggest thatthe Court of Owls will appear inThe Batman - Part IIorThe Batman - Part III.
Matt Reeves' The Batman Universe Officially Has A Metropolis
Matt Reeves' DC Universe Isn’t Limited To Gotham City Anymore
The Riddler-inspired escape room news story featured inThe Penguin’s fictional newspaper ends with one anonymous Gotham parent complaining about this issue. This person poses the question,“shouldn’t our children idolize role models who exemplify personal responsibility instead? This would never happen in Metropolis.“In such a brief sentence,The Penguinmerch reveals that Metropolis exists in Matt Reeves’The Batmanuniverse, but whether this version of Metropolis has a Superman is yet to be seen. Considering how groundedThe Batmanis, it previously seemed as though the franchise was going to takeThe Dark Knight’s route and omit all other DC cities and characters.
It’s possible that characters like Superman and Wonder Woman exist inThe Batman’s DC continuity as fictional characters
Set footage forThe Batmanshowed background actors dressed up as Superman and Wonder Woman, apparently for a Halloween event. These scenes were deleted, and little is known about their purpose. However, their existence suggests that Matt Reeves’The Batmanuniverse was going to include more DC characters one way or another. It’s possible that characters like Superman and Wonder Woman exist inThe Batman’s DC continuity as fictional characters, or that they are still urban myths while they fight crime in secret. PerhapsThe PenguinandThe Batman - Part IIwill delve deeper into these reveals.
