There's still some time before
The Batman begins shooting. The Matt Reeves-directed reboot kicks off filming in January in the U.K., but with the hype already so high, everyone behind the scenes at Warner Bros. wants to make sure it's as close to perfect as it can get before going into the production phase.That, or course, means that casting is of the utmost importance, but the project may finally have that locked down as they narrow in on one of the film's main supervillains. According to
Deadline, Colin Farrell, the hunky Irish actor who boasts one of the most diverse resumés around (see:
Dumbo,
Widows,
The Beguiled,
Horrible Bosses,
Phone Booth,
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), is currently in talks to take on The Penguin, a.k.a. Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. Kind of amazing, but also a little surprising, no? Fans often associate the role with Danny DeVito and his over-the-top portrayal of the character in
Batman Returns, where he faced off against Michael Keaton's Caped Crusader. But that was 1992. This time around, Batman will be
played by former Twilight star Robert Pattinson, so we're clearly entering new territory.Penguin is often seen as short in stature, with a waddly gait, beak-like nose and flippers for hands, with a penchant for formal wear and toting his signature weaponized umbrella. But perhaps
The Batman will feature a more
Gotham-y Penguin — one who is taller, leaner, and can hold his own against the Dark Knight. Farrell, if negotiations go swimmingly, could be just what
The Batman needs. He does have some experience playing a villain in a superhero film; Farrell played assassin Bullseye in the 2003
Daredevil flick, in which he faced off against Ben Affleck's titular blind vigilante. Jonah Hill was the
original front-runner for the tuxedo-clad villain, but talks ultimately broke down and the
Moneyball actor moved on.Farrell isn't the only one who's close to signing onto the film. Another versatile actor, Andy Serkis, is in talks to play Bruce Wayne's trusty butler/surrogate parent Alfred Pennyworth, reports
The Wrap, which would reunite him with
Planet of the Apes director Reeves.If Farrell and Serkis are a go, they'll join Pattinson,
Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano in the reboot (Batman, Catwoman and The Riddler, respectively).
The Batman is set to hit theatres on June 25, 2021.[video_embed id='-1']Willem Dafoe endorses Robert Pattinson as Batman[/video_embed]
