Paul Reubens, better known for his loveable man-child alter ego Pee-Wee Herman, is once again heading to the streets of Gotham to take on the role of Papa Penguin. Reubens played father to the diabolical denizen of the sewers in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, which featured Danny Devito as The Penguin. Now Reubens will play the Penguin’s father once again, albeit in a much larger role, on Fox’s GOTHAM.
Reubens will appear as Oswald Cobblepot’s father during the second season and will share scenes with Robin Lord Taylor’s Penguin.
“He will be showing up very soon,” Taylor alluded, before relinquishing his excitement. “Pee-Wee Herman is playing my dad! What the hell? Oh my god!”
The character of course will be much different than the one portrayed in Burton’s Batman sequel, which featured Reuben’s Tucker Cobblepot as a deeply ashamed aristocrat who works with his wife to dump their misshapen and deformed offspring into Gotham’s sewer.
Reubens in Batman Returns
Reubens most recently appeared in the long-shelved rom-com Accidental Love and The Smurfs 2 before that. Next up, he’ll once again don the red bow-tie and grey suit to take on his iconic role as Pee-Wee in a new feature produced by Netflix, titled Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday. Holiday, written by Reubens and Paul Rust, was produced by Judd Apatow and is set to premiere on the streaming site this March.
Carol Kane portrays Penguin’s mother on the series.
Reubens is repped by WME.
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Clark Allen | Associate Editor
