'This is one of the best transformation makeups I've ever seen': Colin Farrell looks unrecognisable as Penguin in new trailer for The Batman

Irish actor stars in the forthcoming movie opposite Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz and Paul Dano

Roisin O'Connor
Monday 24 August 2020 10:00 BST
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The Batman - DC FanDome Teaser

Colin Farrell is completely unrecognisable as The Penguin in the first trailer for Matt Reeves’s The Batman.

Fans have been tweeting about the dramatic transformation of the Irish actor, who stars opposite Robert Pattinson‘s Batman, as well as Zoe Kravtiz and Paul Dano.

While there are plenty of talking points in the clip, which was shared by Reeves at the DC FanDome event on 22 August, it’s Farrell who has everyone worked up.

His appearance, which was achieved with the help of prosthetics, is so different that many fans claimed they didn’t even realise it was him.

“The craziest thing about The Batman trailer is that this is Colin Farrell,” one person tweeted.

Writer and director Ben Mekler tweeted: “Colin Farrell in prosthetics as a character actor from the NY theater scene who breaks out with a best supporting actor nom for a stand-out role in a Coen Bros movie at age 53 as The Penguin is a vibe.”

“No f***ing way,” another fan wrote.

A number of fans said they had confused Farrell with fellow actor, Curb Your Enthusiasm star Richard Kind.

In July, Farrell praised the script for the forthcoming movie and said it is unlike any previous adaptations.

“The whole prospect is really exciting,” he said. “I’m ecstatic to be part of that universe. There are certain words that are part of my internal lexicon and those words are Gotham City, Penguin, Joker, Batman, Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent... all of those things.

“I have been watching the Batman films with my kids, but this script is something that feels incredibly original. It leans into it but it doesn’t borrow; it’s born of the mythology of that character, Bruce Wayne, Batman and Gotham. But it feels like a treatment and a version that I hadn’t seen before.”

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The movie, which will begin filming again in early September, is scored by Michael Giacchino and also stars John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard and Andy Serkis.

During the panel, Reeves explained that The Batman opens in “Year Two” of Batman’s emergence, marking the early days for characters including Catwoman, Riddler and The Penguin.

Due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, The Batman will receive its official release in October 2021​.

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