The Penguin star appeared in Zack Snyder DC movie over 10 years ago

While The Penguin is considered separate from Zack Snyder’s universe, one star from Man of Steel has crossed over into James Gunn’s DCU with a new role.

As we’ve seen in Marvel movies, an actor playing one role doesn’t rule them out from portraying other characters.

Gemma Chan played two different people in Eternals and Captain Marvel, Michelle Yeoh appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Shang-Chi, and Mahershala Ali will take on the Blade mantle after playing Cottonmouth in Luke Cage.

DC is no different, and over 10 years after appearing in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, one actor has a new role in The Penguin.

Warner Bros/HBO

Michael Kelly played Steve Lombard, The Daily Planet’s sports columnist. He’s become a heel in The Penguin, portraying Johnny Viti, an enforcer for the Falcone family.

While other characters from Man of Steel reprised their roles, like Amy Adams’ Lois Lane and Laurence Fishburne’s Perry White, Kelly didn’t appear in any other films.

The DCEU, the cinematic universe that kicked off with 2013’s Man of Steel, is officially over. It concluded with last year’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, closing a divisive era of superhero movies.

Now, Gunn and Peter Safran have a clearer vision for the studio’s future. After a soft launch with Creature Commandos, the DCU will begin with Superman, teeing up Supergirl, The Authority, and The Brave and the Bold.

So, where do The Batman and The Penguin fit in? They’re considered Elseworlds projects – in other words, they’re not part of the official DCU timeline. They stand alone, so it’s not connected to Joker 2, nor will it be impacted by any movie or superhero TV show outside its story.

Check out our recaps of The Penguin Episode 1 and Episode 2, and find out when you can watch Episode 3. You can also read our theory on why Dr Julian Rush may be a secret Batman villain, why Batman won’t appear in The Penguin, and what’s happening with The Batman 2.