Mark Strong is rumored for a role in DC’s upcoming The Penguin series and there are so many dynamic Batman villains and characters he could potentially play. Although he has played supervillains both before and during the DCEU (Green Lantern’s Sinestro and Shazam’s Doctor Sivana), Matt Reeves’ Gotham provides an exciting opportunity for Mark Strong to add a third classic foe to his name. As such, it’s also possible that The Penguin could also serve as the perfect foundation that sets Strong up to play a major role in the upcoming The Batman- Part II.
Having been teased over social media, it’s been reported that Mark Strong has been cast in an undisclosed role in 2024’s The Penguin starring Collin Farrell as the titular crime boss as he claims power in Gotham’s underworld. Taking place in the same universe and set between 2022’s The Batman and 2026’s The Batman-Part II, there are plenty of villains and roles that have yet to be cast in this new version of the Batman mythos. To that end, here are 10 of the most exciting DC roles for Mark Strong for the upcoming Penguin series.
One of Batman’s most classic villains, Doctor Jonathan Crane is fascinated with the study of fear and its effect on the human mind. Having been prominently featured in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy played by Cillian Murphy, Scarecrow and his fear toxins have received multiple portrayals both on screen and on the page. That being said, Crane is one of Batman’s darkest and most fascinating villains, especially due to the key fact that fear is a primary tool in both of their arsenals.
To that end, Mark Strong could certainly bring a fresh new perspective to the villain while also offering the same terrifying intelligence Crane is known for. When it comes to Scarecrow, it seems as though there’s a lot of room for creativity with multiple avenues that Matt Reeves and Mark Strong could approach with character. That said, one could imagine that Strong could provide an equally imposing and very cerebral version of the Batman villain.
Jeremiah Arkham was once the head of Arkham Asylum in the Batman mythos, having inherited his family’s dark legacy with the institution. Incredibly sadistic, Jeremiah eventually went insane, becoming just as disturbed and dangerous as the patients he was tasked with containing and rehabilitating. Furthermore, Jeremiah’s debut in The Batman universe could help set up the upcoming Arkham Asylum series which is reportedly in development as well. This would also give Mark Strong a dynamic and likely recurring role in Matt Reeves’ Gotham beyond The Penguin alone.
Another twisted doctor in Gotham, Hugo Strange is one of Batman’s oldest and most formidable foes in DC Comics. He was also one of the first to correctly deduce Batman’s secret identity as Bruce Wayne. Most famous for his role as a primary villain in Rocksteady’s Arkham City videogame, Hugo Strange also had a recurring role in FOX’s Gotham series where he was played by B.D Wong.
Typically portrayed as a psychiatrist working out of Arkham, Strange has connections with multiple powerful figures in Gotham, a role that could be incredibly fascinating to see Mark Strong bring to life in The Penguin and beyond. Hugo Strange is very much a villain of the mind, often using hypnosis and brain-altering experiments to get others to do his dirty work for him. He’s also obsessed with proving himself as Batman’s better, wanting to one day take the Dark Knight’s place.
The secret Gotham society known as the Court of Owls has been one of the most captivating additions to the Batman mythos in recent years, having originated in 2011’s New 52 comics relaunch where they made themselves known to Batman for the very first time. Comprised of Gotham’s rich and elite, the Court employs lethal assassins known as Talons, many of whom are reanimated warriors from decades and even centuries past. This includes William Cobb, a prominent member of the Court’s Talons who also happens to be the great-grandfather of Batman’s first Robin Dick Grayson.
To that end, seeing Mark Strong play either a Talon such as Cobb or even a leading member of the Court would be fascinating. It’s not hard to imagine the Court gaining an interest in Oswald Cobblepot’s rise to power in The Penguin. As such, it would be very exciting to see whether would support or try to hinder his efforts.
Black Mask is a major weapons dealer and gang leader in Gotham. Real name Roman Sionis, Black Mask is best known beyond the comics for his role in the DCEU’s Birds of Prey where he was portrayed by Ewan McGregor. Concerning the upcoming Penguin series, Black Mask could easily be introduced as a key rival to Penguin’s play for power over Gotham’s underworld.
As such, one could envision Mark Strong playing Black Mask as one of the most powerful criminal leaders in Gotham. He’d likely be opposed to Penguin as Oswald seeks to take advantage of the power vacuum left behind in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death as seen in 2022’s The Batman. It would certainly be a role that would position Strong as a major antagonist in the upcoming DC series.
Although he’s been featured multiple times in live-action and animated DC features, Harvey Dent’s Two-Face is one of Batman’s most popular villains for a reason. Having originally been Gotham’s District Attorney, Dent and Batman were key allies alongside the GCPD’s Jim Gordon, just as they were in Nolan’s The Dark Knight before the mob struck back and disfigured half of Harvey’s face. This corrupted his sense of justice, reducing it to an act of black-and-white chance determined by the flip of his coin.
To that end, seeing Mark Strong playing Dent in The Penguin with the promise of future corruption in the future of The Batman universe could certainly be interesting. It would also be exciting to see what new elements of Two-Face might be brought to the table in this new Gotham as well. Perhaps Strong’s Harvey Dent could be around for a few projects before he evolves into a villain, making his turn to darkness that much more tragic for Batman.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman took much of its inspiration from major Batman comic storylines such as Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween. To that end, it does look as though The Penguin may continue those inspirations somewhat with the introduction of Falcone’s family. After all, The Falcone Crime Family were central figures in The Long Halloween as the “Holiday Killer” began taking them out one by one (on major holidays).
Offering his assistance so as not to be overshadowed by Holiday who was stealing his M.O., Calendar Man helped Batman and the GCPD from the confines of his cell. As such, it would be fascinating to see Mark Strong as Calendar Man, especially if members of the Falcone Crime Family start dying, paving the way for Penguin to seize control. While The Long Halloween couldn’t be adapted completely seeing as how Carmine is already dead, an appearance and some sort of role with Calendar Man would certainly be a cool nod.
Tony Zucco would be an easy addition to The Penguin’s cast as another major criminal figure in both Gotham and Blüdhaven’s underworld. Likewise, Zucco is most famous in DC Comics for killing Dick Grayson’s parents during their trapeze act at Haley’s Circus, leaving Dick an orphan who later became Bruce Wayne’s ward and eventually Batman’s first Robin. As such, seeing Mark Strong playing Zucco would be incredibly exciting, especially considering what it could mean for future projects set in Matt Reeves’ Gotham (like Robin’s debut).
In The Batman universe, Jim Gordan is not yet Gotham’s police commissioner. In the comics, the man who held the title before Gordan was Gillian Loeb, an incredibly corrupt official who often clashed with Gordon’s honest police work. Launching a massive war on Batman after the Dark Knight targeted his various criminal and political contacts, Loeb was eventually forced to resign after Batman and Harvey Dent provided the courts with enough evidence to force him out. To that end, it would be fascinating to see Mark Strong as Commissioner Loeb before Jeffrey Wright’s Gordon takes the position in Matt Reeves’ Gotham, especially since the commissioner didn’t make an appearance in The Batman.
More than any of the aforementioned potential Batman roles for Mark Strong, Mister Freeze would be perfect for the seasoned DC villain actor. Having been caught in a cryogenic accident while trying to find the cure for his wife’s life-threatening disease, the tragedy of Victor Fries has never truly been captured in live-action on the big screen, as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s version was played far too campy with a legion of ice-themed puns. As such, someone like Mark Strong could easily capture the true gravitas of Mister Freeze, especially if The Penguin were to set him up for a bigger role in The Batman- Part II.