Unveiled: The Batman Villain Ripe for a Solo Adventure

Three episodes in, HBO's The Penguin has already distinguished itself as one of the best and most beloved television shows currently gracing our screens. With whispers of potential spinoffs swirling around like confetti in a Gotham parade, director Craig Zobel has casually dropped hints about which character deserves their own moment in the spotlight—not to mention a plush chair and perhaps a bit of drama on the side.

In an interview that felt more like a cozy chat over coffee than a serious tête-à-tête, Zobel addressed his work on the first three episodes. When the question of potential spinoffs emerged—because apparently everyone is vying for their 15 minutes in the caped crusader's universe—Zobel didn’t hesitate. He boldly proclaimed, “I think that I would love to see Matt Reeves' universe version of Poison Ivy.” Ah, Poison Ivy—our beloved green-thumbed villain who could probably turn the Gotham Botanical Gardens into a hotbed of intrigue. Who wouldn’t want to see her vine-wrapped drama unfold?

This isn’t Poison Ivy’s first foray into the spotlight; she’s strutted her stuff in the likes of Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin and had her brush with fame in Gotham and Batwoman. But this time, Zobel is hinting at a fresh take, a tantalizing concept that could make us think about how she navigates her treacherous love for plants while burning her bridges with humanity.

Meanwhile, the emerging success of The Penguin has not gone unnoticed. It’s currently snagging spots among the top three most-streamed shows, as reported by Reelgood. Set just days after the events of Reeves' The Batman, it follows our favorite feathered fellow, Oz Cobb—played by the marvelous Colin Farrell—as he schemes to pit Gotham's top crime families against one another. You know, just your average day in the life of a criminal mastermind elbow-deep in the murky waters of Gotham underworld politics.

Of course, some fans might be pouting a bit over the absence of Robert Pattinson’s moody Bruce Wayne, but Zobel assures us it was a conscious decision meant to shine the spotlight brightly on the cat-and-mouse games happening in Gotham. “By the time I was involved, that had been decided,” he explained, with an all-too-innocent shrug. “The rationale was really that The Batman would be about the Batman. And this was a different point of view.” Quite wise, don’t you think? After all, who needs another brooding billionaire in a world already bursting at the seams with angst?

When Zobel was asked if he was privy to any intel on future spinoffs, he chuckled softly. “You’d have to just talk to Matt Reeves. It’s all in his head,” he said, as if Matt Reeves were some kind of brilliant magician, conjuring up villains and heroes from thin air. “Our job was to tell Oz's story.” It seems the director is trying to keep a little distance from the sprawling multiverse of Gotham—after all, one can only juggle so many characters at once without a Batman-sized headache.

While we’re yet to see the pages of The Batman Part II unfold, Reeves has revealed that the script is complete and hopes to jump into production by 2025. Until then, we can dive into The Penguin, currently streaming on Max and offering a delightful escape into the chaotic charm of Gotham's criminal underbelly. Let’s grab some popcorn and see just how deep the rabbit hole goes—or rather, how deep the penguin can waddle!