Fans spot controversial detail as iconic Batman character recast for R-Rated spin-off

Fans have spotted a controversial detail as an iconic Batman character has been recast for the spin-off The Penguin.

The show is an off-shoot of the recent Robert Pattinson (aka Battinson) Batman film, The Batman.

It will focus on Colin Farrell’s outing as the mob boss The Penguin, aka Oz Cobb as they’re calling him in the show.

Whilst Farrell has lashed out at the show for the extensive makeup he had to be put under for the role, it has been hotly anticipated by fans.

The new show takes things even further than The Batman, having been recently given an R-Rating.

Co-starring in the show alongside Farrell is Cristin Milioti, who will be starring as Sofia Falcone, as well as Clancy Brown appearing as mob boss Salvatore Maroni.

With the name Sofia Falcone being thrown around, many fans will be hopeful to see the iconic Batman character Carmine Falcone return.

Played by John Turturro of The Big Lebowski fame, the character was a major part of The Batman.

Despite this, Turturro is not making a return for The Penguin, but his character is.

That may be a shock to fans who saw the film, however, with Falcone having been sniped in the head and killed by The Riddler.

Despite this though, he will be appearing in the show, with Mark Strong set to take on the role.

Most assumptions by fans are that he will be playing a ‘young’ Carmine Falcone in flashbacks.

Mark Strong as Carmine Falcone in The Penguin. pic.twitter.com/63cSPGFjvM

— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) September 17, 2024

Whilst Strong is a great actor, many fans have pointed to one specific detail which they feel ruins the casting.

One fan tweeted: “Mark Strong playing a younger version of a John Turturro character when they're only six years apart in age is so camp.”

Whilst it could be possible he is playing an older Falcone, Strong appears to have been de-aged with makeup and a wig in the pictures released.

A second fan tweeted: “Mark Strong and John Turturro have 6 years between each other...”

A third said: “I’m guessing they only did this because they couldn’t get Turturro back because Mark Strong is only 6 years younger so I don’t see much point in hiring him as a ‘young’ Falcone”.

It has been confirmed by the show’s showrunner Lauren LeFranc, with her telling IGN: “Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn't make it work, but honestly, I'm so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on. I think he's really good.”

With The Batman’s success and his role in Severance, Turturro being unavailable is not a surprise – but we’ll only have to wait till the weekend to find out how much they’re expecting us to suspend our disbelief in Mark Strong playing a young version of him.

The Penguin premieres today (19 September) in the US on HBO and HBO Max and Friday 20 September on Sky Atlantic for UK viewers.