Dublin actor Colin Farrell has praised director Matt Reeves for his take on the Batman franchise in upcoming film The Batman.

The much-anticipated superhero adaptation, which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, is due for release on October 1, 2021. Farrell plays villain The Penguin. Director Reeves' other credits include War for the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and  Cloverfield .

Speaking to SFX magazine, Farrell said: "The whole prospect is really exciting. I'm ecstatic to be part of that universe. There are certain words that are part of my internal lexicon and those words are Gotham City, Penguin, Joker, Batman, Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent... all of those things."

The Phone Booth actor continued: "I have been watching the Batman films with my kids, but this script is something that feels incredibly original. It leans into it but it doesn't borrow; it's born of the mythology of that character, Bruce Wayne, Batman and Gotham. But it feels like a treatment and a version that I hadn't seen before. Matt Reeves has done an incredible job of keeping it familiar and at the same time unique and new. It's really exciting to be a part of it."

The 44-year-old added: "I saw Batman Returns back in the day when it first came out, so of course, I have seen Danny DeVito's Penguin and loved it. The first Batman with Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger and Michael Keaton was incredible. And Danny's Penguin was devious. It was so incredible, I remember it so clearly."

Production has been halted on The Batman due to the Covid-19 emergency. Farrell has said he is looking forward to getting back to work.

Speaking to GMA News in May, he said: "I had only started it and I can't wait to get back. The creation of it, the aesthetic of the character, has been fun and I really am so excited to get back and explore it."

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