HBO Max has announced a new show entitled ‘The Penguin,” the next chapter in the new Batman universe which began with Matt Reeves’ 2022 film “The Batman.” But will this next chapter successfully follow in the footsteps of its predecessor?

Back in 2022, a ray of light appeared for the struggling DC franchise in the form of (yet another) reboot of batman in Matt Reeves “The Batman.” While it certainly was not the best rendition of that character, it was a major improvement over the past several DC movies which had preceded it and – frankly – which followed it.

Now, the next installment in the Reeves-Batman universe is on the way in the form of a new spin-off show which is headed for streaming on MAX (formerly known as HBOMax). Aptly named “The Penguin,” this series promises a further look at the character Oswald Cobblepot, commonly known as “The Penguin,” and his rise to power in the criminal underbelly of Gotham.

However, it goes without saying that this show will have to work hard to follow in the footsteps of The Batman, and – based just off the trailer – it may not be up to the task. The writing and dialogue in particular, do not seem as strong. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that Matt Reeves is not returning as the director of this project, acting merely as a consultant.

There is also the fact that the show has an infamous Batman villain as its main character, and the audience will not so readily side with him as they did with Batman.

However, despite these reservations, I am still very interested in seeing what this show delivers when it is released in September, especially considering that while the writing may not have been up to par, the cinematography still seemed to be quite good.