After premiering on HBO Max, it was only a matter of time before The Batman's other deleted scene, packed inside the digital edition, started popping up online. Now many fans are sharing said footage, which involves a prophetic conversation between the Penguin and Selina Kyle.
The scene had been confirmed to be making its way onto The Batman's home edition just a few weeks after the studio had released the Batman and Joker interrogation at Arkham Asylum, which was ultimately cut from the movie as well. While director Matt Reeves explained why he chose to scrap the 5-minute Joker scene from the final cut of the film, it’s not clear why fans weren’t treated to this extra one and a half minute of Catwoman and Oz.
The setup is rather simple, Selina enters the Penguin's office during the mission she and Batman had planned to gain further intel on the unsolved murders and terrifying Gotham higher-ups. However, the dialogue reveals some slight changes to the final cut’s script. In The Batman, Selina is implied to be familiar with the 44 Bellow Club, as she and her roommate Annika had already worked some nights there, whereas in the newly revealed scene the Penguin's behavior seems to suggest it’d be her first time down there. Whatever the case it’s certainly worth watching.
Of course, beyond the actual tone of the conversation, the big takeaway is definitely the Penguin's thirst for power. This is made clear by his warning that Carmine Falcone won’t be around forever and that Gotham will eventually be his for the taking. Another element worth noticing is the Penguin exhibiting a more protective behavior toward Selina Kyle, as he’s actually willing to help her out in some way in order to save her the trouble of venturing down to the decadent secret club.
Batman's presence via the in-eye camera tech he frequently uses in the film definitely suggests Reeves may have conceived the first visit to the 44 Bellow at least somewhat differently, with the dynamic between Catwoman and the Penguin being less hostile than it comes off to be in The Batman. Either way, with the scene surfacing now, it’s excellent publicity for the planned Penguin spinoff, of which very few details are known at this point.
Colin Farrell's performance as the Penguin received plenty of praise, even looking past his radical transformation into the plump Oswald Cobblepot, so it’s natural for fans to be excited about the villain's future in Reeves' flourishing Bat-verse on streaming and cinema.
The Batman is available on HBO Max.
Source: LeGi Stuff/YouTube