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Colin Farrell’s incredible performance in The Batman landed him his solo series, The Penguin. Despite being defined by moral murkiness and brutal violence, the show has still managed to shock its audience with scenes such as the now-infamous sewer scene from Episode 7, Top Hat.

It features a brief flashback into Oz’s past, where he locks his two brothers in a tunnel during a rainstorm, leaving them to drown. It has become a chilling early glimpse into Oswald’s twisted psychology. However, despite its bleakness and apparent cruelty, Farrell continues to defend the moment as essential to understanding the character.

Colin Farrell defends The Penguin’s darkest scene: “I don’t think he knew the water was going to rise.”

The Penguin Episode 7 takes viewers into Oz’s formative days with his brothers, Jack and Benny, and his mother, Francis. It doesn’t take long to realize that Oz...

Pippa Scott, who played one of abducted daughters alongside Natalie Wood in John Ford’s The Searchers and the secretary of Rosalind Russell’s title character in Auntie Mame, has died. She was 90.

Scott died peacefully May 22 of congenital heart failure at her home in Santa Monica, her daughter Miranda Tollman told The Hollywood Reporter.

Scott’s film résumé also included Gower Champion’s My Six Loves (1963), Richard Lester’s Petulia (1968), Norman Lear’s Cold Turkey (1971) and Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s The Sound of Murder (1982).

On television, the redhead portrayed the wife of a Broadway actor (Brian Aherne) transported back in time in the 1960 Twilight Zone episode “The Trouble With Templeton”; was the wife of a rabbi helping Morey Amsterdam’s character with his very belated bar mitzvah on the 1966 Dick Van Dyke Show installment “Buddy Sorrell: Man and Boy”; and played a nursery school teacher and love interest of Jack Warden...

Exclusive: In a major deal, Concord Originals has acquired Rko, the legendary film studio behind such classic properties as King Kong, Citizen Kane, The Best Years of Our Lives, It’s a Wonderful Life, Suspicion and The Woman in the Window.

The purchase gives Concord Originals the derivative rights to over 5,000 titles, which include the remake, sequel, story, stage and copyrights (including unproduced screenplays) of the company’s storied film library. Concord acquired Rko from Ted Hartley, who served as the studio’s Chairman and CEO for 35 years.

Going forward, Rko will continue to operate as its own imprint under Concord Originals. Sophia Dilley and current Rko President Mary Beth O’Connor have been named Co-Presidents of Rko and will jointly run the company with the support of the Concord Originals team. Dilley will also maintain her current role as head of Concord Originals, considered one of the preeminent homes for adapting music and theatre IP,...

Exclusive: HBO‘s limited series The Penguin has revealed its game plan for the upcoming Emmy race.

Colin Farrell will vie for Best Actor for playing Oswald “Oz’ Cobb while Cristin Milioti will enter the contest for Best Actress after her memorable turn as Sofia Falcone.

The limited series created by Lauren LeFranc will enter the Outstanding Limited Series category, while LeFranc will also compete in writing.

Two other actors from the limited series will enter the Emmy race, as well. Rhenzy Feliz, who played Oz’s devoted right hand Victor, will enter the Supporting Actor category, while Deirdre O’ Connell, who played Oz’s mom Francis, will go for Supporting Actress.

Craig Zobel, Helen Shaver, Kevin Bray and Jennifer Getzinger will vie for directing episodes 101 (“After Hours”), 104 (“Cent’anni”), 107 (“Top Hat”) and 108 (“A Great or Little Thing”), respectively.

Cindy Tolen and Suzanne Ryan will compete in casting. DPs Darran Tiernan,...

Fred Astaire was an Oscar-nominated song and dance man best remembered for a series of musicals he made alongside many female dancer, but especially Ginger Rogers. Yet his filmography extends well past those titles. Let's take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

As a dancer, Astaire was known for his perfectionism, doing multiple takes to get the most precise movements correct. His immaculate steps were matched only by his outfits, which often consisted of top hats and coats.

After making a name for himself on the stage in London and on Broadway, Astaire came to Hollywood. He first appeared with fellow dancer Rogers in "Flying Down to Rio" (1933), where they played second fiddle to Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. Their first starring vehicle came just one year later: "The Gay Divorcee" (1934).

Their subsequent films, including "Top Hat" (1935), "Follow the Fleet" (1936), "Swing Time" (1936), and...

Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’ (Courtesy of Neon)

Hot off the film’s Critics Choice Awards Best Picture win, Anora‘s Sean Baker took home his first DGA Awards win in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film category. Winners of the 77th Annual DGA Awards were announced on February 8th at a ceremony hosted by filmmaker Judd Apatow in Beverly Hills.

In addition to the competitive categories, Ang Lee was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Unit Production Manager Mary Rae Thewlis earned the Robert B. Aldrich Service Award. Unit Production Manager Thomas J. Whelan was recognized with the Frank Capra Achievement Award.

“I am thrilled to congratulate all our nominated directors for their brilliant work, which is visionary, inspirational, and speaks to the depth of the human experience. To be chosen by one’s peers is the true marker of...

With Oscar nominations firmly set and multiple guild award shows every week between now and the big show in March, the race to the Academy Awards has entered its final leg. This weekend is a crucial one for award watchers, with the Producers Guild of America and Directors Guild of America both giving out their annual prizes at ceremonies that could predict the Best Picture and Best Director race.

The 77th annual DGA Awards, which took place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, February 8, honored the year’s finest achievements in feature filmmaking, episodic TV, and commercial directing. The evening’s top prize, Theatrical Feature Film, went to Sean Baker for “Anora,” while other nominees included Jacques Audiard (“Emilia Pérez”), Edward Berger (“Conclave”), Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), and James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown”).

It remains to be seen what Baker’s big win means for his Oscar campaign — but last...

Updated with film nominees, 10:48 Am: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez), Sean Baker (Anora), Edward Berger (Conclave), Golden Globe winner Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) are the nominees for the DGA Awards’ marquee Theatrical Film Award announced Wednesday by the Directors Guild of America.

Among the awards-season hopefuls who didn’t make the cut are Wicked helmer Jon M. Chu, Dune: Part Two’s Denis Villeneuve and The Substance‘s Coralie Fargeat.

The rookie directors up for the DGA’s First-Time Theatrical Feature Film prize are Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light), Megan Park (My Old Ass), RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys), Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel (Armand) and Sean Wang (Dìdi).

Winners will be announced at the 77th annual DGA Awards on February 8 at The Beverly Hilton.

Previously, January 7: The Directors Guild of America today revealed the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials and...

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced the list of TV nominees for its 77th Annual DGA Awards. The list shows some of the best work that streaming services and traditional networks have done in various areas, such as limited series, variety shows, reality shows, and children’s programs.

HBO’s “The Penguin” has received three nominations in the Movies for Television and Limited Series category, making it a strong candidate. People praised directors Kevin Bray, Jennifer Getzinger, and Helen Shaver for their work on shows such as “Top Hat,” “A Great or Little Thing,” and “Cent’anni.”

Steven Zaillian and Alfonso Cuarón are two well-known filmmakers who stand out in other areas. You can vote for Zaillian to direct Netflix’s “Ripley,” and you can vote for Cuarón to direct Apple TV+’s “Disclaimer.” These nominations show how streaming services are becoming more important in elite TV directing.

There...

The Directors Guild of America has named the nominees for its 2024 awards in the outstanding directorial achievement in television, commercials and documentary categories. “Shogun,” “The Bear” and “The Penguin” all lead with three nominations each.

The winners will be announced at the 77th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

Nominees for film and the Michael Apted award for first-time theatrical feature film will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Here are this year’s TV nominees:

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Dramatic Series

Alex Graves, The Diplomat, “Dreadnought” (Netflix)

Hiromi Kamata, Shōgun, “Ladies of the Willow World” (FX)

Issa Lopez, True Detective: Night Country, “Part 6” (HBO)

Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Mari Jo Winkler; First Assistant Director: Richard Graysmark

Frederick E.O. Toye, Shōgun, “Crimson Sky” (FX)

Jonathan Van Tulleken, Shōgun, “Anjin” (FX)

***

Comedy Series

Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “Bulletproof” (Max)

Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Chris R. Robinson...

Shōgun, The Bear, and The Penguin led Tuesday’s 2025 Directors Guild of America Awards nominations in the TV, commercial, and documentary categories.

In drama, Shōgun took up three of the five spots for the episodes “Anjin,” “Crimson Sky, and “Ladies of the Willow World.” They face “Dreadnought” from The Diplomat and “Part 6” from True Detective: Night Country. DGA rules stipulate that anthology series, such as True Detective, must compete in either the drama or comedy categories, not limited as they are allowed to do at the Emmys.

The comedy lineup features triple episodes from The Bear: “Doors,” “Tomorrow,” and “Napkins,” the last of which was helmed by Ayo Edebiri. The other nominees are “Bulletproof” from Hacks and “No Lessons Learned” from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Three was the magic number apparently because The Penguin also scored three nominations in the the limited series/TV movie category for the episodes “Cent’anni,...

“Shōgun” and “The Bear” are among the leaders in nominations by the Directors Guild of America, which announced its TV and documentary nominations on Tuesday.

In the Dramatic Series category, “Shōgun” received three of the five nominations, with “The Diplomat” and “True Detective: Night Country” receiving the other two. Nominated directors were Hiromi Kamata, Frederick E.O. Toye and Jonathan Van Tulleken for “Shōgun,” Alex Graves for “The Diplomat” and Issa López for “True Detective.”

In the Comedy Series category, Christopher Storer, Duccio Fabbri and actress-director Ayo Edebiri were all nominated for “The Bear,” while the category’s other nominees were Lucia Aniello for “Hacks” and Jeff Schaffer for “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

“The Penguin” had the same three-out-of-five feat in the Movies for Television and Limited Series category, receiving a trio of nominations to one each for “Disclaimer” and “Ripley.”

The guild also announced documentary nominations, with nods going to the directors of “Porcelain War,...

The Directors Guild of America has announced its TV, documentary and commercial award nominations for the 2025 DGA Awards.

The guild will reveal its theatrical feature film and first time feature film nominees on Wednesday.

The guild previously announced that Ang Lee would receive a lifetime achievement honor at the 77th annual DGA Awards.

The 2025 DGA Awards is set to take place on Saturday, Feb. 8.

A complete list of this year’s TV, documentary and commercial nominees follows.

Dramatic Series

Alex Graves, The Diplomat, “Dreadnought” (Netflix)

Hiromi Kamata, Shogun, “Ladies of the Willow World” (FX)

Issa LÓPEZ, True Detective: Night Country, “Part 6” (HBO)

Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Mari Jo Winkler

First Assistant Director: Richard Graysmark

Frederick E.O. Toye, Shogun, “Crimson Sky” (FX)

Jonathan Van Tulleken, Shogun, “Anjin” (FX)

***

Comedy Series

Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “Bulletproof” (Max)

Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Chris R. Robinson

First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg

Second...

Many of us survived the Covid days by rediscovering old MGM musicals, humming tunes from Singing In the Rain or doing a Fred Astaire tap from Top Hat.

So if they represented islands of good cheer, let’s get real about the new cycle of musicals: Like their forebears, they will likely win lots of awards and make money, but tonally they are not exactly generous with joy. Even some of their admirers were left hopeful that Bob Dylan would find a new analyst, Maria Callas would try Tinder and Elton John — well Never Too Late may be pushing it.

Award nominations already are stacking up for Timothée Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Karla Sofía Gascón and Angelina Jolie among others, and Universal is joyful about its $500 million-plus grosses for Wicked. There’s no doubt that the musical genre has re-established itself, with even some of this year...

As a genre, movie musicals have had some serious ups and downs throughout Hollywood history. Right now, they definitely seem to be on an upswing, especially now that the long-awaited "Wicked" movie blew everyone away at the box office — and it was only the first half of the musical to boot.

In recent years, movie musicals like "Wonka," "Mean Girls," "The Greatest Showman," "La La Land," and even the filmed stage version of "Hamilton" have become enormous hits, though critical reception has been decidedly mixed across these projects. So what are the best musicals ever according to the official Rotten Tomatoes ranking of movie musicals? Only three musicals earned 100% ratings on the review aggregate, which is — I have to say — a little surprising, largely because some all-time classics apparently missed the cut. For example, "The Sound of Music" and the original "West Side Story" only earned 83% and 92%, respectively, despite being two staples of the genre,...

It’s Musicals Week at IndieWire. With “Wicked” about to sparkle over theaters, we’re celebrating the best of the movie-musical genre.

It was the fall of 2018, and for a week or so, my co-writers, producers, and I were on a pitch tour, taking our idea for an original film musical around to every major studio in Los Angeles. As part of our pitch, we played a few sample compositions to give backers an idea of the vibe of music featured in the film and even sang a bit of one of the songs we planned on incorporating into the script.

For my collaborators and I, this was always a crucial element in getting our story across — this was a Musical, guided by song and informed by our characters’ taste and appreciation of the form. And every time my co-writers would burst into a duet as I narrated the circumstance,...

[This story contains major spoilers from the finale of The Penguin.]

In a time where “comic book movie and TV fatigue” is often called into question, The Penguin — the eight-part miniseries starring Colin Farrell and developed by Lauren LeFranc that recently came to a conclusion — has become a huge critical and ratings success for HBO. It’s also another feather in the cap of executive producer and supervisor, Matt Reeves, whose relaunch of the Batman franchise with the Rob Pattinson-starring The Batman (2022) is one of the few things to remain and exist within its own separate continuity, following the restructuring of WB and founding of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios and newly minted DC Cinematic Universe (Dcu).

Dubbed one of the best comic book shows — a claim this writer will support — the series has been compared to The Sopranos for the way it lends its crime drama tropes to prestige television and to The Watchmen...

[This story contains major spoilers from the finals of The Penguin.]

HBO’s The Penguin concluded its first (but almost certainly, not last) season tonight, with Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb defeating his enemies at an enormous cost. The eighth episode saw Cobb return Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) to Arkham Asylum, imprison his stroke-addled mother (Deirdre O’Connell), and, most devastatingly, murder his admiring young mentee, Victor (Rhenzy Feliz).

Showrunner Lauren LeFranc, who previously took The Hollywood Reporter through her steps to create the series, returns to discuss the biggest twists from the The Penguin‘s seventh and eighth episodes — and what the future might hold.

***

Before we get to my finale questions, I wanted to ask about episode seven: The flashback sequence where Oz killed his brothers was so disturbing. It was sort of like you were sitting around the writers room and wondering, “What could inspire Oz to get a top hat? Here’s the most disturbing possible reason…...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Penguin.

There are still many burning unanswered questions that the finale of The Penguin needs to address. Starring Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb, reprising his role from Matt Reeves' The Batman from 2022, The Penguin has expanded this darker and grittier DC Elseworlds franchise brilliantly, taking place outside James Gunn and Peter Safran's mainstream DC Universe. While he was featured only as Carmine Falcone's lieutenant and the owner of the Iceberg Lounge in The Batman, The Penguin has explored Oz Cobb's rise to power in Gotham City's criminal underworld.

The Penguin's highly-anticipated finale, episode 8, "A Great or Little Thing," is scheduled to be released on November 10, bringing the intense and dramatic villain-centric series to a close before Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman - Part II takes audiences back to Gotham in October 2026. Even though there's only one episode left to release,...

The Penguin's latest episode, "Top Hat" proved to be as much about the past as it is about the future, flashing back not only to how Oz (Colin Farrell) effectively murdered his own brothers, but also showing us just how deep Ozs love for his mother goes. A tiny yet tragic and significant detail comes in one of the episodes final scenes, when Francis (Deidre OConnell), after Oz's two brothers have drowned, puts on a red, sparkly dress and invites a young Oz (Ryder Allen) to dance at Monroes. This dress also appeared in Episode 1, when Oz danced with her then, in her apartment. This dress not only helps to reveal Francis' tragically sympathetic character, but also shows how Oz is able to justify his actions. In the end, the dress sums up the desire and greed Oz has programmed into him, as well as the lengths he will go to achieve his ends.

The Penguin has explored the world of The Batman by focusing on Gotham's crime families and giving the titular character a well-deserved spotlight as Oswald Cobb (Colin Farrell) and Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti) head for a bloody confrontation. The series delivers chilling moments in every episode, but Episode 7, "Top Hat," does so by establishing Oz's backstory. The name of the penultimate episode comes from Oz's childhood favorite movie, Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire. The series chooses a classic because Oz offers to watch one of the old movies his mother likes, highlighting the complex relationship Oz shares with Francis (Deirdre O'Connell). However, Top Hat has a particular significance.

The Penguin episode 7 sets up Oswald Cobb's comic-accurate DC appearance ahead of The Batman - Part II. Before The Penguin season finale wraps up Oz Cobb's solo series, The Penguin episode 7 offers a glimpse of Oz's childhood, revealing where his ruthless, back-stabbing reputation came from. According to episode 7's flashbacks, Oz killed his two brothers by trapping them in the Gotham sewers during a storm. From that moment, Oz took a liking to murder and swore to protect his mother at all costs.

Among every live-action adaptation of the Penguin, Colin Farrell's and Burgess Meredith's seem to be the most faithful to the comics, as Danny DeVito's and Robin Lord Taylor's iterations took several creative liberties in order to portray the Penguin as a more extravagant villain. Colin Farrell's Penguin, in particular, focuses on the character's most realistic characters. The Penguin's Oz Cobb is a theacherous...

The Penguin successfully continues the story of The Batman director Matt Reeves' Bat-Verse as it explores the path of one of Bruce Wayne's biggest antagonists. However, the hit series is just the first of multiple spinoffs, with Reeves hoping to "put a lens" on more Batman characters.

Speaking with Interview Magazine, Reeves was asked by The Batman star Andy Serkis whether there would be a second season of The Penguin following the HBO original series' highly successful first season. Reeves confirmed he and HBO were engaged in talks about doing The Penguin Season 2, though he and the network are also discussing the Bat-verse's potential expansion through more spinoff shows.

Related The Penguin: Sofia Falcone Just Repeated Her Family's Unforgivable Sin

In the penultimate episode of The Penguin on HBO, "Top Hat," Sofia Falcone does nearly the same thing to her cousin that her family did to her.

"We have been talking,...

Quick Links Sofia Gigante Casually Threatened Her Cousin Gia Falcone How Sofia Takes a Different Approach Than Carmine Falcone Did

The following contains spoilers for The Penguin, Episode 7, "Top Hat," now streaming on Max.

Perhaps the most interesting character in The Penguin on HBO is not Oswald Cobb, the titular villain. Rather, it's the daughter of mob boss Carmine Falcone, locked away in Arkham for 10 years as the Hangman serial killer. In "Top Hat," Sofia repeated the Falcone family's unforgivable sin against her young cousin Gia.

Sofia Gigante (ne Falcone), is a figure from the Batman comics, but The Penguin has re-imagined much about the character. In the HBO series, set in the corner of the DC Multiverse created by Matt Reeves for The Batman, Sofia is not the criminal she is in the comics. The biggest twist was that Carmine Falcone was actually the serial killer known as the Hangman,...

Quick Links The Penguin Episode 7 Confirms Oz Cobb Killed His Brothers The Penguin Episode 7 Explains Oz and Francis' Relationship The Penguin Episode 7 Reveals Oz's Secret Inspiration

The following contains spoilers for The Penguin Season 1, Episode 7, "Top Hat," now streaming on Max.

As The Penguin rolls towards its finale, fans are learning more about Colin Farrell's Oswald "Oz" Cobb. Additionally, they are discovering deep, dark cuts about his personal life. So far, they have seen his mother, Francis, and her dementia in the present, but he did say his brothers, Jack and Benny, were lost to the city decades back.

It had Rhenzy Feliz's Vic Aguilar thinking that maybe gangs or the capitalist one percent led to the boys' deaths. In Episode 7, "Top Hat," it's revealed this is not the case. The Penguin has a twisted history that actually shows in this flashback episode how calculating, maniacal and bloodthirsty Oz has always been.

Spoiler Alert !!!Spoiler Warning for The Penguin Episode 7

The Penguin’s penultimate episode delivered an intense and shocking ending that immediately set things up for an epic showdown between Sofia Gigante and Oz Cobb. Episode 7, entitled ‘Top Hat’, revealed Penguin’s history and what ultimately led him to his dark path.

Credits: Colin Farrell in The Penguin / HBO

After that incredible scene – a massive explosion that shook Gotham City – many viewers might be wondering if Bruce Wayne will finally show up. This incident is indeed a Batman-level threat, and there’s no way HBO would miss this chance to give fans something to cheer on.

Robert Pattinson’s Batman Should Appear in The Penguin Episode 8

In Episode 7, the audience had a glimpse of Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobb’s childhood. He was seen living with his mother and two brothers. It was evident that he did not have a great bond with his siblings,...

The Penguin Episode 7 introduces Ryder Allen (Palmer) as a young Oz Cobb and Emily Meade as the younger version of Francis Cobb.

"Top Hat" unveils what truly happened to Oz's brothers and how his closeness with his mother ultimately affected his relationship with them. Elsewhere, Sofia kidnaps the one who is truly closest to Oz. 

The Penguin Episode 7 premiered on HBO and Max on November 3.

Read full article on The Direct.

Spoilers ahead of The Penguin episode 7

One of the moments we've been waiting for happened in The Penguin episode 7, "Top Hat." We finally learned how Oz's brothers--Jack and Benny--died. This wasn't via a monologue or some off-hand comment he made to Vic in the present. No, the crime drama let us in on the event and how it unfolded in a flashback sequences that took us back to Gotham in the '80s.

At this time in the boys' lives, their mother Francis was doing the books for Rex Calebrese, the gangster who ran their neighborhood who Oz still admires to this day. It was a typical afternoon for him and his brothers, he wanted to spend time with their mom while they horsed around. Francis, loving as ever, was playful with Jack and Benny even when they disrupted her work. But she did instruct her oldest, Jack, to take...

Emily Meade is a rising star most recently seen in HBO’s The Penguin. Here’s where else you can see Meade showing off her acting chops!

Born in New York City, Emily Meade is 35-years-old and if she looked familiar watching her on The Penguin, that’s because she has been part of other HBO favorites. This includes The Deuce, where Meade plays Lori Madison, and can also be seen as Aimee on The Leftovers season 1. Most recently, Meade appeared in Law & Order. Fans may also recognize her from Boardwalk Empire or Dead Ringers. More on the list below.

In the DC Comics series, The Penguin, Emily Meade takes on a small, yet significant, role as a young Francis. As you already know if you’re a fan of the HBO crime drama, Francis Cobb (portrayed by Deirdre O’Connell) is Oswald Cobb’s (Colin Farrell) mother. To say...

Last night, HBO ran yet another banger episode of The Penguin, the spinoff of The Batman that may be better than the original movie. Just like a lot of people in his life, I may have underestimated how compelling Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) could be. But The Penguin has been one of my recent TV highlights and I'm really looking forward to the finale next Sunday.

In the most recent episode, "Top Hat," we said goodbye to an important character: Sal Maroni (Clancy Brown), who has wanted Oz dead ever since he killed Sal's wife and son by setting them on fire. “At this point, Sal has tunnel vision,” Brown told Variety. “All he wants to do is kill Oz. If he could shoot Oz in the head, and then somebody shot [Sal] in the head, he would die a happy man. He is just is so full of rage and...

Following last night's explosive episode of The Penguin, Max has shared a minute-long promo for the season finale. Title "Great or Little Thing," it looks like the war between Oz Cobb and Sofia Gigante will finally reach its violent, shocking climax.

That was to be expected, of course, but who will emerge as the victor remains to be seen. We know The Penguin is meant to lead directly into The Batman Part II but that doesn't necessarily mean Oz will be set up as Gotham City's new crime boss.

Talking to Esquire, Cristin Milioti was asked why Sofia spares Francis but still decides to create another catastrophe by detonating that bomb in "Top Hat."

"It’s what I was talking about earlier with villains in this universe - having so much hurt and wanting to exert that," she explains. "What makes them such good nemeses is that they know the...

The Penguin's penultimate episode, "Top Hat," takes us into the past to explore Oz Cobb's childhood. He's close with his mother and is seemingly a little jealous of his two brothers, Jackie and Ben. 

They head out together, and Oz is clearly in awe of local gangster Rex Calabrese. Their mother does his accounts, and they deliver a book to him and head into the same underground tunnels we've seen The Penguin use as his base in the present day. Oz finds that familiar token, and they play hide-and-seek; however, when his brothers climb down a ladder he's unable to because of his disability, he's incensed. 

Closing the hatch behind him to trap them there, Oz heads home as it begins to rain. The boy lies to his mother about them going to the movies as the storm continues outside. He cuddles up with her as the overflow tunnel...

In episode 6 of The Penguin, Oz Cobb took some major steps towards becoming like his comic book as well as cinematic counterparts. He established his underground lair where he started growing Bliss and distributed it pretty smoothly to his customers. He called a meeting with the heads of the street-level gangs and motivated them to work together to take down the likes of Salvatore Maroni and Sofia Gigante. Hence, he was getting closer to sticking to the promise of giving his mother, Francis, the lavish life that she desired and deserved. Unbeknownst to Oz, Sofia and Salvatore had made up their minds to hit Oz where it hurt the most by kidnapping Francis. And although that was easier said than done, Sofia managed to reach the apartment in Crown Point where Vic had kept Francis. Between these plotlines, Vic went on a journey of his own where he was forced...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for The Penguin Season 1, Episode 7, “Top Hat.”] The Penguin delved into Oz’s (Colin Farrell) backstory in the pivotal penultimate episode, “Top Hat,” as a flashback sequence unveiled the truth behind his brothers’ demises. Sent out on an errand to drop off a ledger to the local gangster (played by Louis Cancelmi), Oz and his brothers decide to play a game of flashlight tag in the sewers, but when his brothers push him to potentially dangerous extremes, Oz lashes out by closing his brothers in a waterworks hatch. Ditching them for home, Oz monopolizes his mother’s affection as the rainy weather ramps up and begins to flood the hatch his brothers are stuck in. Ultimately, this is the cause of their death, and Oz never seemingly admits his bad deed, instead seeing his mother’s solo attentions as a positive thing. He promises to give her the life she deserves,...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "The Penguin."

If there's any cable network that understands the age-old trope that even the biggest villains oftentimes consider themselves the hero of their own story, it'd be HBO. The so-called Prestige TV era first defined itself with classics such as "The Wire" and "The Sopranos" back in the late '90s and early aughts, both of which featured some of the most unsavory characters in all of fiction who nonetheless didn't see themselves that way. This golden age of television would soon be joined by the likes of "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," and other rivals that followed in their footsteps by placing complex, three-dimensional, but ultimately very bad people in the role of lead protagonist.

It comes as no surprise that "The Penguin" would take its cues straight from "The Sopranos" in that regard, spinning off from Matt Reeves'...

We’ve known from the start that Oz lives with the ghosts of his brothers around him. We learn everything that happened in The Penguin Episode 7, "Top Hat."

Caution: This post contains Spoilers for The Penguin Episode 7

The start of the episode takes us back into the past, all the way back to Oz's childhood. In the present day, Sofia and Sal gets the chance to hurt Oz the way they want.

The Penguin Episode 7 review, “Top Hat”: What happened to Oz’s brothers?

The episode opens with a young Oz and his mother. It’s clear that he wants the attention of his mom, but his brothers don’t always make it easy. They also aren’t the kindest to a young Oz, picking on him and taking advantage of his bad leg.

It’s not that surprising to see Oz take some sort of power back, but...

The following contains spoilers for The Penguin, Season1, Episode 7, "Top Hat," now streaming on Max.

In the penultimate episode of The Penguin on HBO, Oz Cobb endures a series of victories and defeats. While "Top Hat" is packed with action, the height of the drama happens in a series of flashbacks that reveal Oz's dark past, specifically how his two brothers Jack and Benny died. Heading into the finale, The Penguin is poised to lose everything just after achieving his dream of finally becoming the kind of gangster he always wanted to be.

What makes this version of The Penguin so captivating is viewers never quite know what Oz is really thinking. He's proven to be someone who will say and do anything to gain status or, when things go sideways, survive. The only person he genuinely seems to care for is his mother, Francis Cobb, but the flashbacks recontextualize that affection.

Hey, "The Penguin" fans. It's that time again. We're back with some more new spoiler scoops for you guys. In this spoiler session, we're going to talk about a few scenarios that are going to show up in the next, new episode 7 of this current, premiere season 1, which is due out tonight, November 3, 2024. The HBO/Max people put out an official press release synopsis for this new episode 7. So, we were able to extract a few spoiler teasers from it. Let's get into it. The first thing we got for this new episode 7 is the official title. The writers decided to go with the name, "Top Hat" for this one. It sounds like episode 7 will feature some very intense, dramatic and interesting scenes as a shocking discovery gets made. Someone puts up a fight and more. The first spoiler scoop reveals that we'll see some more of Oz in action.

Oz Cobblepot, aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), never really seems to catch a break. Just when you think he’s got a handle on his burgeoning criminal empire, something comes along to knock his tiny top hat askew. In “Top Hat,” it looks like family squabbles and Sofia Falcone’s (Cristin Milioti) penchant for digging up dirt […]

The Penguin: “Top Hat” – Oz’s Family Feud and Sofia’s Shocking Discovery (S1 E7)...

This week's episode of The Penguin ended on a huge cliffhanger when Sofia Falcone tracked down Oz Cobb's beloved mother. You can read our full recap of "Gold Summit" here, but in this promo for next Sunday's "Top Hat," things look bleak for the gangster.

While Sofia Falcone plots with Dr. Julian Rush, Sal Maroni finally gets his hands on Oz and that surely won't end well for the villain.

A featurette has also been released which takes a deep dive into the sixth instalment, while a new poster focuses on The Penguin's leads, Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, as the warring Oz and Sofia.

Why isn't Batman doing something about Bliss hitting the streets of Gotham City? That's a question we really hope The Batman Part II is going to address a couple of years from now.

Recently, The Direct caught up with The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc and...

This week's episode of The Penguin ended on a huge cliffhanger when Sofia Falcone tracked down Oz Cobb's beloved mother. You can read our full recap of "Gold Summit" here, but in this promo for next Sunday's "Top Hat," things look bleak for the gangster.

While Sofia Falcone plots with Dr. Julian Rush, Sal Maroni finally gets his hands on Oz and that surely won't end well for the villain.

A featurette has also been released which takes a deep dive into the sixth instalment, while a new poster focuses on The Penguin's leads, Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, as the warring Oz and Sofia.

Why isn't Batman doing something about Bliss hitting the streets of Gotham City? That's a question we really hope The Batman Part II is going to address a couple of years from now.

Recently, The Direct caught up with The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc and...

The most recent episode of The Penguin, "Gold Summit," ended on a monster cliffhanger: Sofia Falcone and Sal Maroni, who had teamed up to take on Oswald Cobb as he rose through the ranks of Gotham City's criminal underworld, succeeding in abducting perhaps the one person on the planet other than himself that Oz might care about: his mother Francis.

There are only two episodes of The Penguin left. The penultimate episode, "Top Hat," airs next Sunday night on HBO and Max at 9:00 p.m. Est/8 Cst. You can watch the trailer for "Top Hat" above.

Oz does indeed sound terrified about what might happen to Francis now that she's in the clutches of his biggest enemies. And Sal is smacking him with a golf club on top of that. I'd ask how he's going to get out of this one, but slipping out of impossible situations is something of a specialty of his.

The Penguin and DC fans, what did you think of the premiere episode? I certainly liked it and I'm really impressed with what the show has to offer so far! We saw Colin Farrell reprise his role as Oz Cobb/Penguin, and the first episode really delivered when it comes to the storyline and acting. Hopefully, The Batman spin-off series stays like this the rest of the season.

The first episode of the miniseries came out Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. And so, you might be expecting a new episode tonight. Well, that's actually not the case as HBO has switched release days for the show, starting with The Penguin episode 2. Going forward, installments will come out on a new day instead of Thursdays.

Courtesy: HBO

You'll have to wait just a few more days until Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024 for episode 2, "Inside Man" on HBO and Max at 9 p.m. Et. Going forward, new...

The Penguin premiered on HBO and Max on September 19, 2024, to positive reviews from fans and critics alike. The series is both a continuation and spin-off of 2022's The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves. It follows the story of Oz Cobb, better known as the Batman villain The Penguin, played by Colin Farrell. Audiences who might expect a typical television schedule will be disappointed when they tune in to watch The Penguin on Thursday, September 26th, as there is no new episode.

In fact, The Penguin won't air a second episode for ten days after the first episode premiered. HBO and Max are moving the series to Sunday nights, but instead of airing a second episode on the Sunday after the premiere, on September 22, Warner Bros. and HBO have made The Penguin's release schedule a little more complicated. Here is The Penguin's release schedule, explained, and why HBO made...

It's only a few more hours now until the release of The Penguin, and we absolutely can't wait! It's always a treat for us DC fans to get more and more projects added to the franchise. And when it comes to anything in the Batman world, you can definitely count me in. The new HBO series premieres tonight. Find out when to tune in exactly, the episode release schedule, and more info you need to keep you up to date this season!

Courtesy of Max The Penguin episode guide

The Penguin premieres tonight, Sept. 19, 2024 at 9 p.m. Et on HBO and Max. That's right, you'll need to wait until that time to start watching on the streamer, instead of a midnight release since this is considered a HBO show first. Though going forward, be sure to note the release day is going to be different.

Starting with episode 2 on Sunday,...

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Get ready for an intense and gritty thrill ride in the world of Matt Reeves‘ The Batman through the eyes of the disfigured mobster Oswald “Oz” Cobb aka Penguin. Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and it is set a few weeks after the events of The Batman.

In The Penguin series, we follow the story of Oswald “Oz” Cobb as he makes a play to gain power in the criminal underworld of Gotham after the death of Carmine Falcone and the only thing standing in his way is Carmine’s psychotic daughter Sofia Falcone, who is thinking of doing the same.

The Penguin – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Come Out?) Credit – HBO

The Penguin consists of eight episodes in total.

Fred Astaire's "Top Hat" is a timeless classic with joyful musical numbers and iconic visuals. Greta Garbo's performance in "Ninotchka" showcases her versatility and comedic talent beautifully. Marlon Brando's role in "The Godfather" solidifies his lasting impact as a legendary actor.

Although the classic age of Hollywood cinema is now long-gone, its brightest stars created movies which are still being discovered by new fans decades later. In 1999, the American Film Institute curated a list of the greatest movie stars of classic Hollywood cinema. (via AFI) The list includes 25 men and 25 women who appeared in many of the greatest movies of all time.

While these stars have earned their place in history, they have such impressive bodies of work that it can often be hard to decide where to start. Despite their consistent excellence, some actors still have movies which stand out from the rest. They are not just their greatest movies.

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Museum of the Moving Image

A retrospective of snubbed performances brings the Ray Nicolette double-feature of Jackie Brown and Out of Sight, as well as The Heartbreak Kid, The Fugitive, and Top Hat; the Stop Making Sense restoration plays throughout this weekend.

Film at Lincoln Center

A retrospective of Denis Villeneuve’s work also brings the director’s programming choices, among them films by Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now, Close Encounters, and Seven Samurai.

Bam

Raoul Peck’s Lumumba: Death of a Prophet plays in a new restoration.

Roxy Cinema

“City Dudes” returns on Friday night, while 9½ Weeks plays on 35mm this Saturday and Sunday.

Anthology Film Archives

Films by Ken Jacobs and more play in “Essential Cinema,” while a program of Mary Helena Clark’s films plays on Saturday and Sunday.

Film Forum

The 4K restoration of Pandora’s Box...

Exclusive: Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media has hired a UK development boss for its fledgling True Stories label.

The label, which was launched earlier this year by former ABC News chief James Goldston, has snapped up Surviving 9/11 (pictured) exec Miranda Peters from Top Hat Productions.

Miranda Peters

Peters, whose past credit list also includes the BBC’s Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret and Paramount+’s The Box, started this month to oversee UK development and joins the likes of VP Development Steven Baker and around half a dozen other employees based in the UK and U.S. More hires are imminent and greenlights are close, Deadline understands.

Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle launched True Stories in February and unveiled big-hitter Goldston as President. The indie is forging both scripted and unscripted content for domestic and global buyers, which “tell the world’s greatest non-fiction stories through a cinematic lens.

With the BFI celebrating the Oscar-winning actor and dancer, and ahead of the re-release of Top Hat in cinemas, we rate Rogers’ greatest films from Hollywood’s golden age

Having built a career on youth and good humour, Rogers is hard to credit as a haughty star who callously dominates her husband in this lavish murder mystery shot in full colour and CinemaScope. That said, the glamour suits her well and she has a late scene that is a real showstopper.