The Penguin TV show has reportedly added another cast member: it looks like Mark Strong has joined the series in an undisclosed role.
The news was seemingly confirmed by Strong’s personal trainer, Giacomo Farci, who posted a photo of the actor during a training session on his Instagram. “Is it true that you worked on the [Penguin] series?” a user asked in the comments. “Yes, I’ve trained Mark for it,” Farci replied.
He wouldn’t reveal who Strong is playing, but fans are keen to see him take on the role of Roman Sionis, AKA Black Mask (the character is also known as Richard Sionis in the TV show Gotham). “If Matt Reeves cast Mark Strong as Richard Sionis my soul would leave my body,” one Twitter user wrote. “Please be Black Mask,” said another.
Black Mask is a Gotham City crime lord with a penchant for both masks and torture who first appeared in DC Comics in Batman #386 back in 1985. The character’s live-action debut was in Gotham, played by Todd Stashwick, and the character also appeared in Birds of Prey, played by Ewan McGregor, and season 2 of the Arrowverse series Batwoman.
As for The Penguin, the upcoming The Batman spin-off sees Colin Farrell reprise his role as Oz Cobb, AKA the Penguin, and has been described as “an epic crime saga.” Taking place shortly after the events of The Batman, it charts the Penguin’s rise to power in Gotham’s criminal underworld.
Alongside Farrell and Strong, the cast also includes Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Carmine Falcone, as well as Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, and Michael Zegen. The Batman director Matt Reeves is on board as an executive producer.
Strong, meanwhile, has already appeared in two DC projects: he played Sinestro in 2011’s Green Lantern and Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in Shazam! and its sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods. He’s also had roles in movies like Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Zero Dark Thirty, The Imitation Game, and Cruella.
The Penguin is set to arrive on Max in late 2024. In the meantime, fill out your watch list with our picks of the other best new TV shows coming our way this year.