Matt Reeves Talks ‘The Penguin’ Finale and the Moment Fans Started Hating Oz

Matt Reeves’ The Batman crime saga has grown with the successful spinoff, The Penguin. The show was a hit from the very first episode, breaking viewership records and keeping viewers hooked on Oz’s dark rise to power in Gotham’s crime world.

The standout performances in the show came from Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Rhenzy Feliz.

Feliz played Victor Aguilar, an original character created for The Penguin. From the start, Victor’s journey was tragic, and his development led to a heartbreaking and hopeless end. In the first episode, Victor crosses paths with Oz when he steals his rims, and is then forced to work for him throughout the series.

Although there were moments when Vic seemed to enjoy his work, he mostly struggled, torn between his past and his harsh new reality. Despite their master-apprentice, father-son-like relationship, Oz eventually kills Vic because he knows too much. Looking back, given Oz’s character, this outcome was predictable from the start.

Matt Reeves recently spoke about this tragic ending with DiscussingFilm.

Matt Reeves explained that the idea for the show came from Lauren LeFranc, who pitched the story of a young kid who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, stealing rims from a Maserati. This idea helped set up the entire series.

You’re always looking for the lens through which to see something, right? You’re trying to give the audience access. It was important, by the way, that was part of Lauren [LeFranc’s] conception. When she came to us and pitched what could happen in this series, the idea of this young kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time stealing those rims from that Maserati.

Reeves credited showrunner Lauren LeFranc for creating Victor Aguilar and his storyline. He said that as soon as he met the character, he knew Vic’s fate would be tragic. They approached his story with a director’s perspective, understanding that Vic was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his death was unavoidable, which added emotional depth for the audience.

It was like, ‘Oh, that poor kid.’ I got very excited, and it started making me think as a director like, you’re just waiting for the moment when this kid is going to die. He’s going to kill this kid. That’s what you have to do. He’s come in at the wrong time, and [Oz] is using him in this way that you know, ‘Clearly, this guy is going to die.’

So, to have Oz be revealed to another person [Vic] who is questioning, ‘Who is this guy?’ is a great access point for the audience. Having these kinds of roles in stories where you have larger-than-life characters is a great tool, and that was a complete invention of Lauren [LeFranc].

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It’s funny how many fans speculated which villain Vic might become. I think we all wanted to believe there was more to Oz beneath all the slime and pure sociopathy, even though Episode 7 should have made it clear what he really is.

What did you think of the finale? Share your thoughts in the comments below!