The Penguin is one of Batman’s greatest foes. We’ve seen him be adapted in a number of ways over the years. Burgess Meredith delivered a perfect adaptation of the character in the ’60s television show. Danny Devito turned the character into an outright monster in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Paul Williams brought a level of elegance and class to the fiend in Batman: The Animated Series. Recently, Robin Lord Taylor has been leaving his unique mark on Oswald Cobblepot in Gotham. Who will be the next actor to portray the bird-themed baddie?
If social media is to be believed, it will be none other than Josh Gad. The beloved star tweeted out this picture with absolutely no context:
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) May 2, 2017
It’s also worth noting that DC films execs Geoff Johns and Jon Berg recently started following Gad on Twitter as well. Does this mean he’s going to play the parasol-wielding villain in Matt Reeves’s The Batman?
The Penguin We Haven’t Seen on the Big Screen
If so, that’s great news. Gad is very talented and could bring something special to the character. Granted, that’s if we get to see a version of the Penguin that hasn’t been in a feature film before. The one take on the character that fans like is Oswald as a legitimate businessman who also runs a criminal empire. He’s often been the owner and manager of the Iceberg Lounge, an upscale nightclub in Gotham City that acts as a front for his illegal operations.
Though, this version of Cobblepot does consider himself a classy and sophisticated member of high society. It’s a take on the character that mainstream audiences aren’t as familiar with. It’d be great to see Gad play an erudite and snobby socialite that also doesn’t mind killing his enemies with some tricked out umbrellas. Gad looks good in a tux and would look even better with an elongated nose.
But, take this news with a grain of salt. It’s possible Gad could be doing voice work as the Penguin for a new DC animated feature or video game. Considering that DC wants to keep fans excited for the next solo Batman venture, this would be a good get for them. Let’s hope this gets confirmed soon.
