Meet the other Falcone Oz Cobb has to deal with in ‘The Penguin’

Part of Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, The Penguin is finally out on Max and has successfully become every fan’s new obsession with just one episode so far.

The first episode, “After Hours,” directed by Craig Zobel and written by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, introduces some new characters who are expected to become a pivotal part of the show. While everyone’s attention is towards Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone, there’s another Falcone in the mix: Alberto.

Spoilers for The Penguin follow!

Introduced as Carmine Falcone’s son and Sofia’s brother, Alberto is a key player in the Batman comics Long Halloween and Dark Victory, both of which cover the Falcones extensively. Alberto’s story in the literature mirrors that of Michael Corleone from The Godfather. Like Vito in the Mario Puzo epic, Carmine wanted his son to stay away from the criminal world, sending Alberto to study at the prestigious Oxford University.

However, in a bid to impress his father and stake a claim in his empire, Alberto returns and becomes the “Holiday” serial killer, killing Salvatore Maroni and other pawns in the Falcone and Maroni crime families. He later admits to the crimes when he is caught by Batman and Commissioner Gordon, rebuffing his father’s attempt to get him out of the soup. Alberto derives a sadistic pleasure in being a narcissistic killer, assuming that he is the biggest mobster in town after going on a murder spree.

Alberto Falcone escapes his death sentence and is handed over to his brother Mario in the comic Dark Victory, and is later killed by her sister Sofia. While the show might not cover the character on this scale, they are likely to touch upon his personality traits, which include insecurity and excessive partying habits. Alberto is expected to be at constant odds with the titular protagonist of the series, Oz Cobb, as the pair engage in a tussle for control of Gotham’s underbelly.

He is next in line to take over the Falcone crime family’s operations after Salvatore died in The Batman and will have to do so while battling his inner demons. Alberto is known to be addicted to the Falcone crime syndicate-manufactured drug “Drops” and is also a regular at the Iceberg Lounge and other nightclubs, choosing to keep a way more public profile than his father did.

In The Penguin, Alberto Falcone is played by Michael Zegen, who’s known for his appearances in the TV shows Boardwalk Empire and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The character has been a part of major DC Comics-based projects before, briefly appearing in the 2023 box-office dud The Flash.