The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc has finally commented on the fan theory that Theo Rossi’s Dr. Julian Rush is the Batman villain Scarecrow. Introduced in episode 2, “Inside Man,” Julian Rush is a doctor at Arkham Asylum who developed a close bond with Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) before becoming her romantic partner. While some fans initially suspected he might be The Batman universe interpretation of Hugo Strange, many fans noticed in episode 4 that Rush’s office featured what looked like a Scarecrow mask and a mysterious glove similar to the one the character wore in the Arkham video games series.
Speaking with Screen Rant at the Golden Globes, The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc shuts down the fan theory that Rush is intended to be Scarecrow. “Well, I can say he’s not the Scarecrow,” LeFranc said. It is a straightforward answer and solidifies Rush as being an original creation for The Penguin, with no connections to the wider Batman mythology.
Scarecrow was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane and first appeared in World’s Finest Comics #3, published in September 1941. Real name Jonathan Crane, Scarecrow was a doctor at Arkham Asylum who experimented on inmates using a fear toxin of his own design, becoming one of Batman’s most popular recurring villains. Cillian Murphy previously played Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy. Charlie Tahan originally played a young Jonathan Crane on Gotham before David W. Thompson took over the role. Vincent Kartheiser played Scarecrow in Season 3 of Titans, acting as a Hannibal Lecter-type figure.
Scarecrow’s Future in ‘The Batman’ Franchise
The idea of Julian Rush being The Penguin’s version of Scarecrow was not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Even apart from the mask and glove tease, Rush’s name sounds like a new take on Jonathan Crane. With The Penguin being renamed from Oswald Cobblepot to Oz Cobb and The Riddler’s name being changed from Edward Nygma to Edward Nashton, Julian Rush matches the realistic naming conventions The Batman franchise has set up for its villains. Hiding the origins of the Scarecrow in The Penguin would have been a great twist and one that put a new spin on the villain.
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Yet Rush, not being Scarecrow, now leaves the supervillain on the table as the possible antagonist for The Batman – Part II. Joker, The Court of Owls, and Mr. Freeze are just a few of the names that fans have been speculating about as the main villain in the upcoming Batman sequel, which was recently delayed to 2027. Both Batman and The Penguin set up Arkham Asylum as a significant fixture, making the Scarecrow feel like an inevitable character, possibly a colleague or mentor to Theo Rossi’s Rush, explaining why he has a scarecrow mask and glove in his office. At one point, there were rumors of a Scarecrow-led television show in The Batman universe, which many assumed to be the canceled Arkham Asylum television series. With a new two-year delay for The Batman – Part II, it might be time to revive those plans once more.
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Cast
Colin Farrell
, Cristin Milioti
, Rhenzy Feliz
, Michael Kelly
, Shohreh Aghdashloo
, Deirdre O’Connell
, Clancy Brown
, James Madio
, Scott Cohen
, Michael Zegen
, Carmen Ejogo
, Theo Rossi
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