10 Movies and TV Shows Like The Penguin
After Matt Reeves’ The Batman introduced audiences to the awkward but ambitious gangster Oz Cobb in 2022, it was only a short matter of time before HBO announced a spinoff series exploring the character. Rendered completely unrecognisable due to layers of prosthetics and a thick New York City accent, Cobb (aka The Penguin) is played by Irish actor Colin Farrell, who reprised the role in the Penguin series released in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW on September 20, 2024.
The series takes a gritty, realistic look at the rise of one of Batman’s most notorious villains, The Penguin, as he vies for mob power against the psychotic Sofia Falcone in Gotham. The series takes after several iconic gangster films, and shares many compelling elements with a variety of movies and TV shows across genres. Take a look at our list of movies and TV series like The Penguin, and find out where you can watch them below.
The Batman from 2022 takes place in the same universe as Max’s The Penguin. It is the first time Colin Farrell’s iteration of the character appears on screen, and acts as an introduction to Matt Reeves’ vision of the Batman. The film’s dark and realistic tone transfers perfectly into The Penguin series — on which Reeves acted as a writing and creative supervisor — and takes place one week after the events of The Batman.
The Penguin is nothing if not a gangster series, and what better modern gangster series is there than HBO’s iconic The Sopranos? Starring James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, the series follows Tony’s reign as a New Jersey mob boss trying to balance his family life with his illicit work activities — all while attending therapy for an anxiety disorder. In addition, like Tony Soprano, Oz Cobb has a painful relationship with his mother that dominates much of his psychology.
This Marvel TV series is part of their collaboration with Netflix that includes fellow superhero ‘Defenders’ Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist, in addition to The Punisher. Luke Cage is a super strong vigilante with bulletproof skin who uses his powers to protect the inhabitants of Harlem. The first season of Luke Cage is especially similar to The Penguin, as much of it revolves around the Paradise nightclub (similar to the Iceberg lounge) where the gangster Cornell ‘Cottonmouth’ Stokes (Mahershala Ali) runs the show.
Warner Bros Television’s DC TV series Gotham ran between 2014 and 2019. The series also takes place within the Batman universe, focusing on a young Detective Gordon as he takes on his first cases at the Gotham Police Department. While the series is structured somewhat like a procedural, the settings and characters do vary throughout the seasons. Oswald Cobblepot also features throughout as a low-level gangster rising through the ranks who causes problems for Gordon. While the series’ tone is much less gritty and realistic than The Penguin, if you love all things Batman and want to see another iteration of the Penguin (played by a sly Robin Lord Taylor), make sure to check out Gotham.
Delving back into the purely organised crime side of The Penguin, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is a must-watch for any fan of the genre. The iconic gangster film released in 1990 stars Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci as three friends and associates trying to keep their heads above water as they navigate the mob scene in 1970s New York City. As one of the most influential films in the mob crime genre, Goodfellas had a huge influence on The Penguin, including on plot structure, character development, and the overall visual aesthetic.
Continuing with the gangster theme, Peaky Blinders is one of the best in the television genre. With six seasons airing from 2013 to 2022, Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders stars Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders street gang. His ambition drives him to seek ever more power, starting in Birmingham in 1919 after the first World War through to the end of 1933. Although it's a period crime drama, its storytelling, gritty characters, graphic violence, and political intrigue make it a compelling watch for any fan of The Penguin.
Despite most of the entries on this list selling the idea that only men can be vicious mob bosses, they’d be given a run for their money by Griselda. This 2024 Netflix series starring Sofia Vergara is based on the true story of Griselda Blanco, an infamous Colombian drug lord who dominated the narcotrafficking scene in Miami in the 1980s. This fast-paced, high-budget series features an Emmy-nominated performance by Vergara and explores the consequences of seeking power at all costs.
This Italian crime drama series ran for five seasons between 2014 and 2021. Based on investigative journalist Roberto Saviano’s novel of the same name, the fictional series follows the power struggle that breaks out in the Camorra criminal organisation in Naples between the young guard, the old guard, and their rivals. This series, above all others, seeks to destroy any attempt to glorify the mob and highlights the real-life results of organised crime’s chronic grip on a whole city — and even a country.
Diving back into Batman lore, 2008’s The Dark Knight is perhaps the most beloved of all Batman movies. Although the film features another iconic Batman villain, The Joker (played by Heath Ledger), Christopher Nolan’s film succeeded in bringing a realistic feel to the franchise that had previously been depicted in mostly campy style. If you’re in the mood for an excellent Batman film featuring brilliant performances, unhinged violence, and gritty drama, The Dark Knight is the film for you.
Narcos is a brilliant Spanish-language Netflix series that spanned three seasons airing between 2015 and 2017. Like Griselda, the series focuses on a notorious real-life Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar. As the leader of the Medellín Cartel, Escobar dominated the drug trade in the 1980s to the early ‘90s, and the series follows his rise to power even as he plays an increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse with the CIA. Like The Penguin, Narcos focuses on the complex character of the mob boss and the consequences of their actions.
