Minnie Driver takes on one of the most iconic villains in the Batman universe, but with a new twist.
She will voice Oswalda Cobblepot, the female version of the Penguin, in the upcoming Prime Video animated series “Batman: Caped Crusader.”
The news was revealed during Saturday's San Diego Comic-Con panel for the highly anticipated show, which kicked off with a video message from executive producer Bruce Timm. Timm greeted fans before the world premiere of the first episode, where Penguin's character was revealed for the first time.
After the screening, executive producer Matt Reeves and the series' voice cast, including Driver, Hamish Linklater as Batman and Jamie Chung as Harley Quinn, had a lively conversation about the show and their roles.
Driver acknowledged that some purists might object to the presence of a female Cobblepot, but insisted that the character still carries the essence of The Penguin. “If we’re lucky enough to be invited to the stage to play these characters that are already in the air, we get up and meet them. And this was a beautiful retelling of that evil character. It was exhilarating. I mean, she’s terrible.”
On Friday, Prime Video gave fans a sneak peek at the show by unveiling an exclusive new video at the end of a panel discussion about favorite adult animated movies, including “Invincible” and “The Legend of Vox Machina.”
Additional voice cast includes Diedrich Bader, Christina Ricci, Mckenna Grace, Eric Morgan Stewart, Michelle C. Bonilla, Crystal Joy Brown, John DiMaggio, Paul Scheer, Reid Scott, Tom Kenny, Jason Watkins, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Donohoe, David Krumholtz, Haley Joel Osment, and Toby Stephens.
The series is a reimagining of the Batman mythos through the lens of executive producers Reeves, J.J. Abrams, and Bruce Timm. It is produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Abrams' Bad Robot Productions, and Reeves' Sixth & Idaho. Ed Brubaker, James Tucker, Daniel Pipski, Rachel Rush Rich, and Sam Register also serve as executive producers.
“Batman: Caped Crusader” will be available to stream on Prime Video starting August 1.
