HBO Max’s upcoming The Penguin series has gained another big name, with Variety reporting that Clancy Brown has joined the cast of The Batman spin-off.
According to Variety, Brown will play the role of Salvatore Maroni, the notorious Gotham City crime boss and someone who has frequent run-ins with Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin (played by Colin Farrell). While Maroni wasn’t ever seen in The Batman, he was mentioned several times, with his arrest by corrupt Gotham police allowing the rise of Carmine Falcone’s criminal organization to step in while Maroni’s fell.
Brown is no stranger to the world of DC properties, although this will be his first live-action role in the DC Universe. Previously, he starred as the voice of Lex Luthor in over a decade of roles, spanning across various animated films and television series, and even video games. He’ll next appear in 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4 as “The Harbinger.”
Set in the world of the 2022’s The Batman, the HBO Max series will focus on Oswald Cobblepot’s past and show his rise to power in Gotham’s seedy underbelly rather than portray him as the established kingpin. The character has a rich history of live-action appearances, as Danny DeVito famously played Penguin in Batman Returns while Robin Lord Taylor portrayed him in Gotham.
The limited drama will be based on the DC characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is being written by Lauren LeFranc, who is also set as the showrunner. The first two episodes will be directed by Craig Zobel.