We haven't heard about it much but there is a Batman film currently in development. You remember The Batman, originally it was set to be directed by and star Ben Affleck but then he decided he didn't want to be behind the camera so he handed off duties to Matt Reeves. There has been a lot of speculation that Affleck won't be involved at all, meaning we may get a new Bruce Wayne under the cowl. That's still rumor and the last we heard Reeves was hard at work on the script.
That script is obviously still under construction because things have been mum about the Caped Crusader. But we now know who might be the villain Batman may battle against. Variety's Justin Kroll says that The Penguin is supposedly in the running to be the man baddie.
And what is the "BOP" Kroll speaks of? Well, that's Birds of Prey, one of the other DCEU films in development. So if Reeves decides against using Oswald Cobblepot as the main nemesis, the character will still get play in another movie. It seems that The Penguin is returning to the big screen, one way or another.
It's not surprising to hear that he's the likely bad guy for The Batman. Let's be honest, a lot of well known Batman villains have made their way to the big screen since Christopher Nolan resurrected the hero with Batman Begins. The truth is that The Penguin is one of the last major players in the rogues galley who hasn't gotten screen time lately. He's also a great fit if Reeves is attempting to keep things as grounded as Nolan did, focusing on a crime drama, real world vibe like The Dark Knight. The Penguin isn't too fantastical (usually) and he would fit perfectly in the grounded world the DCEU Batman is known for.
Who would play Cobblepot? That's up for debate. Josh Gad has been teasing his involvement with The Penguin seemingly for ages now but it's likely that Reeves would aim for a bigger star. No offense, Mr. Gad. He’s a badass, iconic character so you can bet any number of actors would be dying to take it on. And despite what some people would have you believe, The Penguin doesn’t have to be a short, round fellow. That’s been done too often. Instead Reeves should focus on his slick suits and old-school gangster vibe. That opens the door for a lot of talented actors.