The Batman had a lot working against it before it hit theaters. It looked like the endpoint of the ongoing journey to one-up every previous Batman film's dark tone. Luckily, its tone gave way to a more nuanced crime thriller-esque take on the character and his world. Colin Farrell's Penguin claimed attention as a breakout character, leading to an upcoming HBO Max spinoff. The series promises to show Oswald Cobblepot's rise to power, but where does he start that journey?