Iconic Batman Villain To Be Female In New Series On Prime Video

The star of Good Will Hunting and The Phantom of the Opera has recently been cast in a new animated Batman series. 

In this series, she will voice an iconic villain, but with a twist: the character will be gender-swapped.

In the new animated series titled Batman: Caped Crusader, an iconic Batman villain is reimagined as female.

A renowned actress is set to bring this character to life.

Oswalda Cobbelpot in new Batman series, who will be played by Minnie Driver Amazon Prime

The series, which presents a fresh perspective on the Dark Knight, benefits from the creative direction of The Batman (2022) director Matt Reeves, who is serving as an executive producer.

During the San Diego Comic-Con panel for Batman: Caped Crusader, it was announced that British actress Minnie Driver will voice the role of Oswalda Cobbelpot, a female iteration of the notorious villain Penguin.

Minnie Driver, celebrated for her roles in Good Will Hunting and The Phantom of the Opera, will make her debut as The Penguin in the series’ first episode.

The preview of the debut episode was shown at the panel, where Driver appeared alongside fellow voice cast members Hamish Linklater and Jamie Chung, as well as executive producer Matt Reeves.

Addressing potential backlash regarding the gender swap, Minnie confidently spoke to Variety, saying:

"Here's the thing: If it hadn't been so beautifully imagined or reimagined, if it had somehow just been shoehorned in to tick some box of 'Oh, we have to now have a fluidity around characters'" 

She paused before continuing: "That's not it. The essence of the Penguin is the essence of the Penguin. 

Minnie Driver is known for roles in Good Will Hunting and The Phantom of the Opera BANG Showbiz.

"She's properly evil. She really does some terrible things, and I hope that she will be embraced as the villain that she always has been."

Minnie further commented: "The essence of this show is quintessentially Batman. 

"Make no mistake, and the fact that the Penguin is a really terrifying woman speaks volumes about the imagination of Bruce [Timm] and the whole team."

Batman: Caped Crusader will feature Linklater as Bruce Wayne, Chung as Harley Quinn, Christina Ricci as Catwoman, Diedrich Bader as Harvey Dent, and Jason Watkins as Alfred Pennyworth.

The extensive voice cast also includes Mckenna Grace, Eric Morgan Stuart, Michelle C. Bonilla, Krystal Joy Brown, John DiMaggio, Paul Scheer, Reid Scott, Tom Kenny, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Donohue, David Krumholtz, Haley Joel Osment, and Toby Stephens.

The plot synopsis describes the show as follows: "Welcome to Gotham City, where the corrupt outnumber the good, criminals run rampant, and law-abiding citizens live in a constant state of fear. 

"Forged in the fire of tragedy, wealthy socialite Bruce Wayne becomes something both more and less than human - the Batman. 

Batman: Caped Crusader takes a fresh look at the Dark Knight, backed by The Batman (2022) director Matt Reeves as an executive producer. Warner Bros

"His one-man crusade for justice attracts unexpected allies within the GCPD and City Hall, but his heroic actions spawn deadly, unforeseen ramifications."

This series represents a reimagining of Batman mythology, crafted through the creative lenses of executive producers Reeves, J.J. Abrams, and Bruce Timm.

All ten episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader will be available for streaming on Prime Video starting August 1.