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The upcoming Batman reboot has made a huge change to one of Gotham City’s biggest villains.
There are several past, current, and upcoming iterations of Batman that span all sorts of media: comic books, live-action movies, video games, and more. This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Caped Crusader, who first appeared in 1939’s “Detective Comics #27”, so it’s hardly surprising that 2024 will give us even more Batman than we’re used to.
The Batman (2022) spinoff television series The Penguin (2024), in which Colin Farrell reprises his role as the titular Gotham City gangster, is heading to HBO and Max this September. Meanwhile, Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), the sequel to 2019’s Joker, will be laughing its way (maniacally) into theaters on October 4.
Then there are the DC Comics, which aren’t just limited to one timeline — there are multiple — and let’s not forget the upcoming virtual reality (VR) video game sequel “Batman: Arkham Shadow” (2024).
Credit: DC / Warner Bros.
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In fact, 2024 also marks the 35th anniversary of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) starring Michael Keaton, which explains why we’re getting an official sequel to that film later this year in the form of the novel “Batman: Resurrection” (2024).
There’s plenty beyond this year, too, with The Batman Part II (2026) and the DC Universe Batman reboot The Brave and the Bold (TBA) being the two project fans have their eyes on the most. But before we see any of the aforementioned 2024 projects, we’ll see Batman: Caped Crusader (2024) arrive on the small screen.
From creator Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series from the ’90s), Batman: Caped Crusader is a 10-part animated series heading to Prime Video. So far, we’ve had an official trailer, the Batmobile reveal, and the cast-and-character announcement — but the latter featured several undisclosed characters.
Watch the trailer for the upcoming animated Batman reboot below, per Prime Video:
Related: Michael Keaton’s New ‘Batman’ (1989) Series Explained
We already knew that Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass), Christina Ricci (Wednesday), Jamie Chung (Big Hero 6), and Diedrich Bader (Napoleon Dynamite) will be voicing Bruce Wayne/Batman, Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, and Harvey Dent/Two-Face, respectively.
Now, it has been confirmed that Good Will Hunting star Minnie Driver, who was previously revealed to be among those whose characters had yet to be disclosed, will be playing the iconic Gotham City Rogues Gallery villain The Penguin in the animated series, which, refreshingly, takes place in the 1940s.
Check out a new image of The Penguin shared by DiscussingFilm on X (Twitter) below:
The Penguin will be a woman in ‘BATMAN CAPED CRUSADER’ She is named Oswalda Cobblepot and voiced by Minnie Driver.
The Penguin will be a woman in ‘BATMAN CAPED CRUSADER’
She is named Oswalda Cobblepot and voiced by Minnie Driver. pic.twitter.com/C778tqnUmk
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 27, 2024
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That’s right — Minnie Driver will be playing a female version of The Penguin named Oswalda Cobblepot, as opposed to Oswald Cobblepot (although the character still has their iconic top-hat, monocle, and umbrella). This marks a huge step forward for Batman as a franchise as it’s the first female version of such an iconic Batman villain.
In a new interview with IGN during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2024, Minnie Driver reveals that her version of the character “is a proper ’40s gangster,” adding, “She’s a gnarly Penguin. Like, she does terrible things. I know that Penguin traditionally has done terrible things, but I feel like these might be the most terrible things any Penguin has ever done.”
Unsurprisingly, some fans haven’t responded well to the news. One user suggests that creatives should write “better female characters” instead of making male characters women:
Instead of making every other male character a woman, why don’t you just write better female characters? Weird, am I right?
Instead of making every other male character a woman, why don’t you just write better female characters?
Weird, am I right?
— mikeymumbelz (@mikeymumbelz) July 27, 2024
Another declares that “Batman has gone woke”:
BATMAN HAS GONE WOKE
BATMAN HAS GONE WOKE
— harv (@harvv) July 27, 2024
“Turning him into a woman is absurd,” another says:
This doesn’t even make sense. The penguin wasn’t even a supervillain. He was a well-dressed crime boss. Turning him into a woman is absurd.
— Hugh Mann (@The_Broface) July 27, 2024
Not everyone seems to be up in arms, though, as some don’t mind the change:
As long as it is done well I don’t mind the change.
As long as it is done well I don’t mind the change.
— ComicNomicon (@ComicNomicon) July 27, 2024
While there are many who are against the idea, a small few point out that it doesn’t matter:
Why does it matter so much?
Why does it matter so much?
— Phantammeron (@Phantammeron) July 28, 2024
Previously, The Penguin was voiced by the likes of Paul Williams (Batman: The Animated Series) and Nolan North (the “Batman: Arkham Games”). In live action, the character has been played by Meredith Burgess (1960’s Batman), Danny DeVito (Batman Returns), Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham), and Colin Farrell (The Batman, The Penguin).
But the 1940s setting and the gender change to The Penguin aren’t the only “brave and bold” decisions the show has made, as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, voiced by Jamie Chung, is the first Asian-American portrayal of the character.
Credit: DC / Warner Bros.
Batman: Caped Crusader will be available to stream on Prime Video from August 1.
Per Prime Video, the synopsis reads:
“Welcome to Gotham City, where criminals run rampant and law-abiding citizens live in a constant state of fear. Forged in the fire of tragedy, wealthy socialite Bruce Wayne becomes something both more and less than human—the BATMAN. His one-man crusade for justice attracts unexpected allies within the GCPD and City Hall, but his heroic actions spawn deadly, unforeseen ramifications.”
Several other actors including McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) will also appear in Prime Video’s new Batman reboot, although their roles remain undisclosed.
The series is produced under Warner Bros. Animation, Bad Robot Productions, and 6th & Idaho. JJ Abrams, Bruce Timm, Ed Brubaker, James Tucker, Daniel Pipski, Rachel Rusch Rich, Sam Register, and Matt Reeves (director of The Batman) are all executive producers.
Are you excited about Batman: Caped Crusader? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
“}]] Fans aren’t happy with the “brave and bold” Batman reboot after it has made a big change to one of the franchise’s most iconic characters. #Batman #DC #WarnerBros #PrimeVideo #BatmanCapedCrusader Read More