The Penguin Renames Oswald Cobblepot: Insights from the Showrunner

The highly anticipated series The Penguin is set to debut this week on Max and HBO. Ahead of the release of episode 1, it has been revealed that the iconic character will not be referred to as Oswald Cobblepot; instead, he will be known as Oz Cobb in this adaptation—a decision that has sparked considerable discussion online.

In an interview with SFX Magazine, showrunner Lauren LeFranc elaborated on the reasoning behind the name change in The Penguin. She explained that the show is grounded in a new canon, allowing for a fresh take on beloved characters. Additionally, she mentioned that Cobb sounded more fitting as a last name within this universe.

“Matt’s created a new canon in his film, and I’m creating a new canon in this show. We have characters you’re familiar with but there’s a different spin on them. It felt like in the Gotham City that Matt created in his film, Cobblepot seemed less of a real person in the way that Cobb is a real last name. He’s a gangster and it just kind of felt more correct,”explained LeFranc via SFX Magazine.

Dylan Clark, the producer of the series, also mentioned that the name adjustment was made to provide further grounding for the story. He revealed that Jim Lee, the President, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer at DC Comics, gave his endorsement for the character’s name change, which helped reinforce the narrative.

“We had a lot of conversations with DC Comics and with Jim Lee. They had considered changing his name before but had never gone through with it. Matt asked, ‘Can I call our character Oz Cobb?’ And Jim said, ‘Absolutely!’ So we got a blessing from the king himself. That small change of the name allowed us to look at this character in a grounded way,”said Clark via SFX Magazine.

Fans will be able to stream The Penguin on Max and HBO starting September 19, 2024.

What can fans expect from The Penguin?

Viewers can look forward to The Penguin picking up right after the events of The Batman. Set to take place just a week later, the series will showcase how Gotham is coping with the aftermath of the Riddler’s assault on the city, including significant flooding.

Moreover, fans should anticipate a fierce power struggle emerging within Gotham following the demise of Carmine Falcone. With Falcone dead at the hands of the Riddler, competing mob families will be vying for control of his empire, placing Oz Cobb at the center of a quest to establish his reputation in the criminal underworld.

What is The Penguin about?

The Penguin is an upcoming series from DC Comics, created by Lauren LeFranc. It serves as a spinoff of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The official synopsis reveals:

“This thrilling crime drama follows Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobb’s quest for control in Gotham City. With the city in peril following the seawall’s collapse, Oz (Oscar® nominee Colin Farrell) seeks to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone and finally give his mother Francis (Deirdre O’Connell) the life he’s always promised.”

The cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and others. The series premiere is set for this Thursday.

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