The Batman‘s 2024 spin-off – The Penguin – has had a new trailer released, proving that the TV show is continuing the best part of the former. The trailer for The Penguin detailed a lot about the spin-off story, including moving the timeline beyond the 2022 movie by showcasing a Gotham City underwater. Led by Colin Farrell, The Penguin‘s cast of characters centers around the seedy underworld of the iconic DC Comics location while telling the next chapter in the so-called The Batman Saga.

While Batman may be absent from The Penguin, the tone of the trailer evokes the original film. This makes a lot of sense, considering The Batman writer-director Matt Reeves had a hand in the creation of the spin-off show. From the trailers, it is clear that Reeves is establishing this section of the DCU multiverse under the Elseworlds umbrella, telling an interconnected Batman-centric saga that continues with the story of The Penguin. Beyond the clear storytelling throughlines, however, the trailer for The Penguin makes it clear that the show is continuing the best element of The Batman.

The Penguin Continues The Batman’s Excellent Depiction Of Gotham

Gotham City Has Never Looked More Like The Comics

Immediately, one of the standout aspects of The Batman was its depiction of Gotham. The opening monolog showcased Gotham in all its dark, dreary, gothic glory. This captured the vibe that Gotham is unlike any city in the real world and conveyed the seedy city in a way other Batman franchises – specifically Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy – did not. In those movies, Gotham felt like a regular Earthly city, from New York to Chicago. The same cannot be said for The Batman‘s location, which made Gotham feel and look like a place that would never exist in real life.

With the trailer for The Penguin, this depiction continues. From the opening establishing shots of The Batman locations like City Hall or the Riddler’s coffee shop to DC Comics icons like Arkham Asylum, Blackgate Penitentiary, and the iconic skyline of the city from the first movie, The Penguin perfectly translates Reeves’ Gotham to TV. Depsite being somewhat more grounded than The Batman due to its Sopranos-like story, The Penguin is versing itself in the universe of the former thanks to Gotham City’s unique, fantastic design.

How The DCU Can Learn From The Batman’s Gotham

Reeves’ Treatment Of DC Locations Can Benefit James Gunn’s DCU

Although the depiction of Gotham in The Batman and The Penguin will be an advantage for future installments in Reeves’ saga, it could also benefit James Gunn’s upcoming DCU slate. Gunn is bringing his own version of Batman to the DCU set in the main timeline, separate from Reeves’ Elseworlds productions. Through this story, and even 2025’s Superman, Gunn could learn from The Batman‘s version of Gotham City.

Many would agree that comic-accurate versions of DC locations are much more compelling than real-world designs. With that in mind, Gunn could bring these more comic-book versions of DC locations to the DCU. Be it Gotham in the upcoming Brave and the Bold adaptation or Metropolis in Superman, these locations should not look like any from the real world, and instead, bring DC Comics to life on screen. With The Penguin, it is clear Matt Reeves knows this and, hopefully, this sentiment will translate to Gunn’s future DC efforts as well.