The HBO|HBO Max Original Series is available now on 4K
The critically acclaimed HBO Original Series starring award-winner Collin Farrell as DC Comics villain, THE PENGUIN, is now available on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, revealing the underworld of Gotham City!
The fascination with the denizens of Gotham City, especially its more colorfully sinister cadre of characters, has led to a series of projects that have, at times, stolen the spotlight from the city’s most famous caped crusader. When Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman, they surrounded the DC Comics character with a rogues gallery as unpredictably challenging as the Dark Knight himself. Over the decades, the nest of villainy with its entanglements and treacherous psyche have become the centrifugal headliners, starring Hollywood heavyweights and netting their fanbase.
After the 2022 critical success of Matt Reeves' The Batman, which cast Robert Pattinson as a younger, less-experienced, and grittier detective challenging the crime and corruption of his fabled city, the supporting players were all just as interesting as the titular hero. Hollywood heartthrob Collin Farrell immersed himself in hours of prosthetics to reinterpret the gangland mobster known as The Penguin, which quickly became the focus of his HBO Original Series, which followed the events of the blockbuster motion picture. Now The Penguin Season 1 is available to bring home on 4K, Blu-ray, and like Batman’s utility belt, it’s loaded with special features!
Spoiler Alert! This is not the Penguin, colorful in his top hat, who squaks and waddles and has an arsenal of deadly umbrellas, nor is it the maddeningly deformed megalomaniacal monster that lives in the sewers and has joined the circus from Tim Burton’s sequel to the 1989 blockbuster film. This interpretation of The Batman’s nemesis is far more menacing than anything previously explored and most likely the most dangerous menace Gotham City has ever known — or will come to fear! Collin Farrell may be wearing a mask and suit to deliver his performance, but it emboldens him as a talent, giving The Penguin its deeply fascinating spin.
Not An Origin Story
Reeves based his Batman on the detective, who has only recently surfaced in Gotham City, and fashioned the film from the influential comic arcs “The Long Halloween” and “Year Zero.” Billionaire Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) hasn’t solidified in his ways; he is still perfecting his fighting skills. His intuitive investigating prowess makes him an ally of Detective Jim Gordon as The Batman’s reputation begins to strike fear in the hearts of the criminal element. Among those in the underworld who are getting the vigilante’s attention is Oz (Farrell), the proprietor of the infamous Iceberg Lounge.
After the film's events, the Riddler attempts to cause mass chaos amid an election, the villain detonates the floodgates protecting the city and submerges parts of Gotham, especially the downtown area. This leaves much uncertainty as warring criminal factions seize the opportunity to claim territory for their own, and Oz is no exception. The one-time underling to the powerful Falcone crime family, Oz moves to seize control of the drug ring, positioning himself at the center as Gotham’s most significant supplier and reestablishing his reputation.
Unfortunately for Oz, he doesn’t anticipate the arrival of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), who has just been released from Arkham Asylum, and “The Hangman” has plans of her own to exact revenge on everyone that has done her wrong. The drama ensues, and the battle is waged, leading to 8 of the most pulse-pounding episodes in this intense character-driven mob caper. With the city crumbling under their thumbs and the drug war ending in flames, the season culminates in the epic showdown between Oz and Sofia for supremacy of Gotham’s underworld. The Penguin is well written and superbly acted, and for DC fans of The Batman, it’s an all-win scenario.
Special Effects!
All eight episodes are captured in beautiful 4K on 3-disc, with several bonus features. The greatest special effect, the transformation of leading actor Collin Farrell into the crime lord's alter ego, is stunningly revealed in the disc's packaged special features. "Becoming The Penguin" pulls the make-up off and back again as Farrell, and the series show runners and make-up team discuss the revolutionary applications designed for the series. Farrell admits that it's only after he gets suited up that he truly can find the character and bring Oz to life for the screen.
Additional special features spotlight the origins of the DC Comics bad guy, including a profile of the series’ latest antagonist, The Hangman/Sofia Falcone portrayed by actress Cristin Milioti, and continuing to reimagining the dangerous world of Gotham City as it introduced by Matt Reeves for The Batman theatrical blockbuster. For the film aficionado and fan of Reeves's film, the behind-the-scenes look at the original series incredibly texturizes
Get your #FanzEyeView of How Colin Farrell Transformed into THE PENGUIN, an HBO Original Series available now on 4K:
HBO Original Series THE PENGUIN | is available on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD and includes all-new behind-the-scenes special features and more. The 4K can be purchased on Amazon for $38.99.
<<Spoiler Alert!>> The HQ.Remixed may be going away, but you can continue to get your dose of entertainment and pop-culture coverage at the central HQ, the OG ThrillseekerHQ site here. Also, visit our sister site TheFanzite.com (available on Apple News).
Comentarios