While HBO’sThe Penguinwill naturally devote most of its attention to the rise to power of Colin Farrell’s titular character, also known as Oswald “Oz” Cobb, in the Gotham City underworld, it’s clear he will have plenty of competition from the Falcone crime family. While Oz currently works for the family, as shown in the 2022 filmThe Batman, he’s obviously not that well respected by its high-ranking members and almost certainly isn’t considered a member himself, as he hasn’t been shown to have any biological or marital connection to the main branch of the Falcone family tree. The Falcones are important parts of many famous and influential comics, such asBatman: The Long Halloween, and are often portrayed in ways that echo the Corleone family fromThe Godfatherfranchise, with similarly complicated histories and dynamics between them. So,just who are some of the family members that will or could be featured in the upcoming miniseries?
Carmine Falcone
Played by John Turturro and Mark Strong
The family patriarch, often styled afterMarlon Brando’s iteration of Vito CorleonefromThe Godfatherfilm, was played byJohn TurturroinThe Batman, in which he was shown as the undisputed leader of Gotham’s criminal community. Carmine’s influence dominated the city through a drug-running operation he co-opted from Salvatore Maroni (who will be played inThe PenguinbyClancy Brown) with the help of corrupt city officials and police officers. He was arrested by Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) and Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) before being assassinated by the Riddler (Paul Dano). Despite this, given how large a part his family is set to play inThe Penguin, there’s a decent chance the character could be seen again through flashbacks, dream sequences, or other means. Specifically,Mark Strong, already a veteran of two different DC Comics-based productions, is playing a younger version of the character on the small screen.
Sofia Falcone
Played by Cristin Milioti
Milioti is set to portray Carmine’s daughter, who will compete with Oz to take over her father’s empire asThe Penguin’s main antagonist. Sofia appears in bothThe Long Halloweenand its sequel,Batman: Dark Victory, both of which seem to be particularly influential on the series. InDark Victory, she also serves as the main antagonist, eventually being revealed as the Hangman, a serial killer who targeted members of the Gotham City Police Department. A recent trailer suggests that she has already been identified as such early in the series, while also revealing that the character has been incarcerated in Arkham Asylum for a time, possibly for her crimes as the Hangman.
Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Played by Zoë Kravitz
Another of Farrell’sBatmanco-stars,Kravitz portrayed the iconic anti-heroinewho is also Bruce’s most popular love interest.The film reveals that Carmine is Selina’s biological father, as is implied to be the case in several comics, includingThe Long HalloweenandDark Victory. The mob boss feigns ignorance of his connection to Selina her entire life, although he tries to maintain a friendly relationship with her while she works at Oz’s nightclub, a favorite hangout spot among members of his organization. After discovering that he murdered her girlfriend, who had learned some key information about Falcone’s hold on the city, Selina attempts to kill him. During the ensuing fight, Carmine revealed that he himself killed Selina’s mother. In his Batman guise, Bruce stops Selina from killing Carmine before apprehending him himself. After the Riddler shoots him, Selina briefly looks down on her father’s body with an ambiguous expression.
At the end of the film, Selina leaves Gotham and there has been no official word suggesting Kravitz will reprise her role inThe Penguin. But given how the series is described as being an integral part of the narrative that will continue inThe Batman: Part IIand how prominent the Falcone family is set to be,it would make sense for Selina to be involvedin the former with either a cameo or larger role.
Alberto Falcone
Played by Michael Zegen
Carmine’s son and Sofia’s brother is another integral player inThe Long HalloweenandDark Victory. Although educated at Oxford University, Alberto was eager to work in his family’s criminal empire, but Carmine forbade this. Although, as Vito Corleone did with his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), Carmine did so because he hoped Alberto could lead a more peaceful life than he had, Alberto took the exclusion as a slight.He became one of two serial killers dubbed “Holiday” because of when he murdered his victims, which included members of both the Falcone and Maroni crime families. After being arrested by Batman and Gordon, Alberto confesses to all of the Holiday murders. When his father offers to use his influence to get him released, Alberto rebuffs him by noting that the murders have made him more notorious than Carmine or any of Gotham’s other mobsters, which Alberto takes a sadistic pride in. Although initially sentenced to death, he is later released into the custody of his brother Mario at the beginning ofDark Victory. With Carmine dead and Sofia already potentially known as the Hangman inThe Penguin,Zegen’s version of the character will presumably have a significantly different story arc.
Johnny Viti
Played by Michael Kelly
Carmine’s nephew was created byFrank MillerandDavid Mazzuchelliand first appeared during their legendary story arcBatman: Year One. Johnny is sent to Gotham by his mother, Carla Viti, head of the largest crime family in Chicago, to aid Carmine against Batman and Gordon when their early crime fighting work begins taking a toll on the Falcone organization.Johnny leads a team of criminals that abduct Gordon’s infant sonin the hopes of blackmailing him into not testifying against corrupt Police Commissioner Gillian Loeb. The plot is foiled by an unmasked Batman and Gordon himself. When Johnny is subsequently taken into custody, Carmine unsuccessfully attempts to have him assassinated to prevent him from telling the authorities what he knows about the Falcone organization. This leads to a brief gang war between Carmine and Carla’s branches of the family, but they eventually make an uneasy peace.The Long Halloweenbegins the night of Johnny’s wedding, which Carmine pays for, during whichhe becomes the first victim of the Holiday killers. Michael Kelly appears as Johnny inThe Penguin. The character is usually portrayed as little more than a thuggish brute in the comics, sothe television version will presumably be rather different and more complex, given that Kelly is a fairly well-known actor who has previously received praise for his acting roles like inHouse of Cards. Kelly also previously appeared in the DC filmMan of Steelas Daily Planet reporter Steve Lombard.
Luca Falcone
Played by Scott Cohen
The last member of the family confirmed to appear inThe Penguinso far is Luca Falcone, a cousin of Carmine’s who will be played by Scott Cohen. The television version may be an amalgamation of Luca and the similarly named Lucia Viti, a niece of Carmine’s, from the comics. Both characters are very obscure, only appearing in a handful of issues each.This could potentially set Luca up to be a major wildcard with an unpredictable roleinThe Penguin, but it’s arguably more likely he will ultimately be a similarly minor figure.
The Penguin premieres on HBO and Max September 19.
The Penguin
It follows the transformation of Oswald Cobblepot from a disfigured nobody to a noted Gotham gangster.
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