A rising star could be making his way to Gotham City. Paul Walter Hauser is one of the contenders to portray the Penguin in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, sources tell Full Circle Cinema. At this point in the process, Hauser is one name that Reeves and WB are considering for the role, but no formal offer has been made.

Hauser is best known for playing Shawn Eckhardt in the 2017 Oscar-winning film I, Tonya and Ivanhoe in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. His other credits include YouTube Premium’s Cobra Kia, Super Troopers 2, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Recently, Hauser was cast in Disney’s live-action Cruella as the titular villain’s henchman Horace.

The 32-year-old actor is a near-perfect fit for the role of Oswald Copplepot based on the character’s breakdown. According to our friends at The GWW, the Penguin is described as a “Gotham City mobster” who is a “short, obese man with a long nose, and he uses high-tech umbrellas as weapons.”

Reeves is reportedly looking for a male actor of any ethnicity between the ages of 20 and 40. Hauser has the correct physique for the Batman rogue, and at 32 years old, he is within the age range Warner Bros. is reportedly eyeing.

READ: John David Washington Reportedly Being Eyed For Role In ’The Batman’

First appearing in Detective Comics #58 in 1941, the Penguin is a Gotham City mobster who describes himself as a “gentleman of crime.” Cobblepot has been an enduring adversary for Batman and has established himself as a valuable member of The Dark Knight’s rogues gallery. The character most recently appeared on the big screen in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, portrayed by Danny Devito.

Earlier this year, it was reported by THR what Matt Reeves has in store for Robert Pattinson’s iteration of the Caped Crusader. “The story is neither another rehashing of his origin nor the tale of a seasoned crimefighter ruling Gotham City. He is Bruce Wayne still trying to find his footing on his way to becoming the genius detective.”

Hauser’s representatives could not be reached for comment. Keep in mind, although this information comes from a reliable source, without confirmation, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Would you like to see Paul Walter Hauser appear in The Batman? Do you think he would be a good fit for the Penguin? Let us know in the comments below!

The Batman hits theaters June 25, 2021.