Another Cult DC Villain Reportedly Lurking in the Series The Penguin…before appearing in the sequel to The Batman ?
Among the good surprises of 2024, there is certainly the series The Penguin. The spinoff of The Batman devoted to the sinister Penguin by Colin Farrell has become without a shadow of a doubt one of the best projects adapted from comics of the year.
In particular by never losing sight of its subject, without distorting its protagonist, who seems much more formidable than he ever was in The Batman. Enough to look forward to the next film dedicated to the Dark Knight, for the moment very discreet. But a clue to the future antagonist of the feature film could well be hidden in The Penguin.
The Penguin… et compagnie
While the eighth and final episode of The Penguin came out on the Max platform on November 11, 2024, the series has not yet finished making headlines. Indeed, some keen-eyed fans have apparently found an easter egg that has so far gone unnoticed. In episode 4, titled Cheersa detail caught their attention, within the office of the character Dr. Rush in Arkham, played by Theo Rossi. It seems that this one holds a mask and gloves strongly resembling those of a cult Batman villain : the Scarecrow.
A rather vague detail, which could ultimately be just a detail. Except that when asked about the question, the series team did not rule out this possibility. On Instagram, production designer Kalina Ivanov affirmed that the presence of these accessories was voluntary: “we leave that open to interpretation.”
Was the scarecrow supposed to appear in the series then? There does not exist no answer to this question For now. However, it is interesting to note that in December 2023, some insiders reported that Theo Rossi's character in the series was written to be Jonathan Crane, Scarecrow's alter ego.
On paper, the theory may make sense. After all, Crane is a professor of psychology in the comics, but also briefly the head psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. A role which is surprisingly close to that of Dr. Rush in The Penguinwho notably works with Sofia Falcone in the series.
Is this easter egg then just a wink kept in the series? Or could it be a clue for the future of the saga? The antagonist of The Batman 2 is still not known right now, and it would be easy to believe that the Scarecrow could take on Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight. Even if he is not played by Theo Rossi, villain is clearly a possibility for the future.
While waiting for more answers, we can already enjoy an excellent appetizer for this part of the DC universe. But also prepare for the avalanche of theories that will surround the release of The Batman 2For now dated September 30, 2026 in French theaters.
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