I'm Reading Your Stuff: General News and Discussion Thread

[DarthSkywalker]

Actually I think it's because he was booked with other TV ("Severance").

 

[Gothamsknight]

Excellent first episode. Farrell has given us a definitive performance as The Penguin and frankly, I'm speechless. So damn eager to see where all of this goes honestly. Seeing the world Reeves has created expand, and seeing different parts of it just made me realize all the more how eager I am to see this world continue.

 

[flickchick85]

It's Apple TV+, so no one can blame you.

 

[C Prometheus]

It’s an interesting take. I think of it this way: If no one is bigger than The Court, why would they be the main villains in the second film? To me, that’s like writing a story and the hero defeats the villain in the second act. So, if the Court is involved, it would make more sense to me to have Batman discover them in the next film and face them in the final film.

It would be cool if The Court is somehow responsible for Wayne murders. That’s something that I suspected after watching the first film. I don’t think it’s necessary to combine Hush and Lincoln March though. Hopefully The Penguin series will give us something to go on.

Well, aside from what @AndrewGilkison and @BatLobster already said, the reason you do the Court in the middle film and not the finale is because of the narrative and thematic arcs that have been set up already and seem to likely be a through-line for the rest of the saga as a whole: The Court of Owls are the biggest threat in the sense of how crime has worked in Gotham City up until now. They are the ultimate embodiment of the old guard of criminals from when Bruce first started out as the Batman.

The thing that Matt Reeves has repeatedly emphasized in interviews, going all the way back to that 2020 DC FanDome panel for the first film and even up to now with the press tour for The Penguin is that this saga is effectively an origin story for the Rogues Gallery itself, even if it's not one for Bruce himself. And it's been a big reason for why I agree with you that The Long Halloween and Dark Victory are both going to continue being crucial pillars of influence for the saga from here on out.

This saga is about the changing of the guard in Gotham City. It's how crime evolves and morphs from an Old Money cult puppeteering the power and the Mob Bosses running the streets to riddle-obsessed serial killers, a shattered former DA-turned-TwoFace'd mob boss and The Man Who Laughs.

How do you top the Court of Owls in Part 3? Easy, you let the core Rogues Gallery out and cut loose.

Excellent first episode. Farrell has given us a definitive performance as The Penguin and frankly, I'm speechless. So damn eager to see where all of this goes honestly. Seeing the world Reeves has created expand, and seeing different parts of it just made me realize all the more how eager I am to see this world continue.

That opening sequence had me gaping at the screen at the end. Genuinely didn't see it coming.

Watched the first episode of the penguin, wow, was not expecting that. They did an excellent job with it and can't wait to watch the rest of the series.

But as C Prometheus said, I can totally see penguin taking the place of carmine and may be what they are building up towards.

Although I'm torn about Batman not showing up, I ultimately think it's for the best. As much as I would like the tv shows to continue the story, I think it's best when they add to it and you leave the movies to have the bigger narrative beats in order to move it forward. The reality is not everyone will watch this show and that's a shame.

Yeah, after watching the first episode, I feel all the more confident in that being the way Oz's arc in the saga ultimately plays out. We see him climb up the ladder to become the new Kingpin of Gotham City and rule the streets like Carmine and Sal did before him for a while, but ultimately he winds up creating Two Face after going to war with the incoming DA Harvey Dent and then ultimately gets consumed as the final representative of what Old Crime in Gotham City was before the Freaks strolled into town...

 

[BobJM]

Regarding The Penguin premiere, they sure kept teasing that upcoming shipment of mystery drugs that Alberto & Sofia cooked up…reminded me of Crane’s fear toxin from Begins

 

[BobJM]

Yeah, after watching the first episode, I feel all the more confident in that being the way Oz's arc in the saga ultimately plays out. We see him climb up the ladder to become the new Kingpin of Gotham City and rule the streets like Carmine and Sal did before him for a while, but ultimately he winds up creating Two Face after going to war with the incoming DA Harvey Dent and then ultimately gets consumed as the final representative of what Old Crime in Gotham City was before the Freaks strolled into town...

That’d be amazing

 

[BatLobster]

Christin Milioti was so good. I would definitely be in cool with her popping up in Part II based on this episode alone.

 

[Sawyer]

As I said in the Penguin thread:

Spoiler

”9 to 5” being Oz’s “Something in the Way” is wild as hell.

 

[Johnny Frost]

It may be nothing, but curious in the role of Councilman Hady, in the comics Hady is Mayor and has an important role in Batman Eternal.

 

[Mindreaper21]

That was one hell of a premier! I was not expecting an opening like that. I love how they were able to show the different areas of Gotham. It truly feels more expansive than other versions.

Sofia instantly won me over. I really look forward to seeing how her character develops. Oz is such a slimy little weasel and I absolutely love it.

Regarding the drugs, I know it may not be anything, but I really would love it if they were created by Mad Hatter since he’s a drug pusher. Maybe it’s because in one clip I saw that they were growing mushrooms.

Also, was anyone able to catch the QR code that the Riddler mask kid had on the subway?

 

[Sawyer]

Wonder if they’re going to bust this one out when Oz pops up again in Part II.

 

[C Prometheus]

Wonder if they’re going to bust this one out when Oz pops up again in Part II.

Considering his son's doing the score for the show, I'd be surprised if Giacchino doesn't add this leitmotif into his score for Part II. Great theme either way though!

That was one hell of a premier! I was not expecting an opening like that. I love how they were able to show the different areas of Gotham. It truly feels more expansive than other versions.

Sofia instantly won me over. I really look forward to seeing how her character develops. Oz is such a slimy little weasel and I absolutely love it.

Regarding the drugs, I know it may not be anything, but I really would love it if they were created by Mad Hatter since he’s a drug pusher. Maybe it’s because in one clip I saw that they were growing mushrooms.

Also, was anyone able to catch the QR code that the Riddler mask kid had on the subway?

According to Twitter, the QR code takes you to the Raatalada website. Love that little touch, personally!

It just feels incredible to be back in this version of Gotham City again after two years.

 

[TheSmoothKnight]

Awesome first episode! Man, it sucks that they’re making us wait 10 days for the next one 😡

 

[DeadlyWest]

I'm like 15 minutes in and I gotta mention

This show has no right to be this goddamn funny

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Spoiler

So Sofia was already the Hangman killer, which is why she was in Arkham. I am assuming it was Batman who took her down.

 

[Mindreaper21]

Wonder if they’re going to bust this one out when Oz pops up again in Part II.

They seriously nailed this theme for Penguin. His themes usually have a clunky, campy, classical nature to it. Almost as if it has a waddle itself. I’m sure that if they use this theme in the next film it would be changed to fit the tone, but still recognizable since we will shift back to Batman’s point of view.

 

[solidsnake86]

Well if anything, this just goes to show you that good tv and films take time and thought. The sets and cinematography are absolutely stellar for a tv show.

What an opening episode. I really hope they are able to explore more of the rogues gallery this way. I just hope that the ratings are there. It's so tough to produce and write these things and then to get the viewership is another thing.

Also, Oz was hilarious in this.

 

[Kane52630]

Matt Reeves is on the first ep of the pod.

 

[TheSmoothKnight]

 

[TheGDBatman]

IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING

 

[DeadlyWest]

WE'RE SO GODDAMN BACK

 

[Chip Chipperson]

At long last

 

[C Prometheus]

The months to come are going to be a LOT of fun.

 

[Kane52630]

We're def getting casting news by the end of the year.

 

[Rick190293]

What? I can see it unfortunately (X has been banned in Brazil )