British actor to play gender-swapped villain in new Batman series
The Good Will Hunting and The Phantom of the Opera star has joined the voice cast of a new animated Batman series, with the actress taking on an iconic villain in a gender-swapped role
A British actress has been announced as an iconic Batman villain in an upcoming Batman series - with a twist. The animated series Batman: Caped Crusader takes a fresh look at the Dark Knight, backed by The Batman (2022) director Matt Reeves as an executive producer.
At the San Diego Comic-Con panel for Batman: Caped Crusader, it was revealed that Minnie Driver will step into the role of Oswalda Cobbelpot, a female version of the infamous Penguin.
The acclaimed actress, known for her performances in Good Will Hunting and The Phantom of the Opera, will appear in the series' first episode.
The debut episode was previewed at the panel, where Driver joined fellow voice cast members Hamish Linklater and Jamie Chung, alongside executive producer Matt Reeves.
READ MORE: Robert Downey Jr. to return to Marvel's Avengers - but not as Iron ManREAD MORE: The Boys' universe to expand with new spin-off on Amazon Prime - and fans already have one big predictionConfronting potential criticism over the gender swap, Minnie confidently told Variety, "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,'"
"That's not it. The essence of the Penguin is the essence of the Penguin," she continued. "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."
Additionally, Minnie highlighted, "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 star Linklater as Bruce Wayne and Chung as Harley Quinn, as well as Christina Ricci as Catwoman, Diedrich Bader taking on Harvey Dent, and Jason Watkins voicing Alfred Pennyworth.
The additional voice cast comprises of 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.
A plot synopsis reads: "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."
"His one-man crusade for justice attracts unexpected allies within the GCPD and City Hall, but his heroic actions spawn deadly, unforeseen ramifications."
The series is a reimagining of Batman mythology through the lens of executive producers Reeves, J.J. Abrams and Bruce Timm.
All 10 episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader will be available to stream on Prime Video beginning August 1.