The Penguin and The Batman FX artist Mike Marino says Colin Farrell's look as the famous Batman villain was inspired by Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
"There was another fantasy character, which was Bob Hoskins in Roger Rabbit. There is some kind of quality there that Matt [Reeves] had interest in that I thought was cool," Marino told DiscussingFilm. "That also comes from sort of a noir-feeling '30s type of person because in Roger Rabbit you don't really know what decade that is. It's a strange, like, 1930s, '40s feeling so I think that noir thing came from tahat. And there were real gangsters and we have Al Capone who's also an influence. ll of these subliminal influences and references are kind of melded into the subconscious."
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 fantasy-comedy that blends animation with live-action and stars Bob Hoskins as Detective Eddie Valiant, a private investigator who is tasked with exonerating Amblin Entertainment and Walt Disney cartoon character Roger Rabbit who's been framed for murder. The late actor, who earned several BAFTA and Golden Globe awards throughout his long career, also starred as Mario in the live-action Super Mario Bros. Movie in the '90s (which is good campy fun and deserves a second chance at life, if you ask me).
Mike Marino tells us that Colin Farrell’s look as The Penguin was also inspired by Bob Hoskins from ‘WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT’“There is some kind of quality there that Matt Reeves had interest in” pic.twitter.com/XedAd0wEeAOctober 6, 2024
It's worth noting that Farrell is unrecognizable as Oz Cobblepot aka The Penguin, though he's not the first actor to play the Batman villain that had to wear heavy makeup and prosthetics. Danny DeVito's Penguin in Batman Returns quite literally looks a penguin – and he bites.
The Penguin airs weekly on HBO and Max in the US and on Sky and NOW in the UK. For more, check out our guide to The Penguin release schedule, or, get up to speed with what's to come with our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows.
