Rumor: ‘The Batman’ Eyeing Josh Gad to Play The Penguin
Today’s rumor is somewhat out of left field, and yet entire plausible once you consider it: According to a suspicious tweet posted by Josh Gad, the actor and recent star of Beauty and the Beast might be playing The Penguin in The Batman. And while an actor sharing a photo of a fictional character seemingly at random could mean just about anything, there is some additional evidence to support his potential involvement.
Gad shared this photo of the classic Batman villain on Twitter last night, without comment:
Meanwhile, this Twitter user’s reaction is really perfect:
Uproxx initially noticed Gad’s tweet, which might not mean anything, but — big BUT — a couple of notable accounts recently followed the actor on Twitter: DC Films execs Geoff Johns and Jon Berg. Those accounts also followed Joe Manganiello just before we learned of his casting as Deathstroke, and Rick Famuyiwa shortly before he signed on to direct The Flash solo movie.
But maybe Johns and Berg are jinxing the DCEU with their Twitter follows: Famuyiwa is no longer directing The Flash, while Manganiello is uncertain of his involvement in The Batman now that Matt Reeves has replaced Ben Affleck in the director’s chair. So perhaps Gad’s days as The Penguin in Affleck’s Batman movie are numbered…and I’d be okay with that.
I’m not the hugest Gad fan (to put it politely), and I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed his performance at all in Beauty and the Beast — the guy is just A LOT. Too much, even. He’s real “extra,” as the kids say. Could Gad make for a decent Penguin? Sure, why not. Danny DeVito nailed it in Batman Returns despite doubts about his ability to pull it off, and Matt Reeves has my full confidence.
But really? Josh Gad? I guess Dan Fogler was too busy.