I've Changed My Mind, I'm Glad The Penguin Showrunner Debunked The Theory That Theo Rossi's Dr Julian Rush Is Actually Scarecrow

It turns out that The Penguin‘s Dr. Julian Rush isn’t the Scarecrow of Matt Reeves’ Batman franchise, and I’m actually quite glad that showrunner Lauren LeFranc debunked the prevailing DC theory. Julian Rush is introduced in The Penguin as an Arkham State Hospital psychiatrist assigned to Sofia Falcone during her incarceration before developing deeper feelings for her. He plays an emergent role in the series as he moves on from being a lower-level Arkham State Hospital employee to becoming Sofia’s romantic partner and de facto adviser as she swiftly ascends to power in Gotham’s underworld.

While Julian Rush is ostensibly an original character for Matt Reeves’ Batman trilogy, given there is no such character in DC Comics, that hasn’t stopped theories aplenty emerging from the fanbase tying his true identity to long-established Batman villains. I don’t find this to be surprising, given how he ends the show as a much more important character than when first introduced. Furthermore, I was wholly convinced that he would be the franchise’s version of Jonathan Crane, AKA Scarecrow, following some conspicuous Easter eggs in a shot of his desk.

The Penguin Theory That Dr Julian Rush Becomes Scarecrow Explained

Julian Rush’s Desk Carries A Couple Of Notable Items

There’s one scene in particular that drove theories that Rush would eventually become Scarecrow if he wasn’t already embodying the role off-screen. This scene occurred in episode 4, where a shot of Julian Rush’s desk revealed two conspicuous and recognizable items: a glove with needle-like appendages and a hessian-like mask taking pride of place on opposing sides. There is some debate about whether the latter item is a mask, given it is quite difficult to make out, but taken alongside the unquestionably Scarecrow-inspired glove, I find this theory to be incredibly compelling.

Christopher Nolan’s Jonathan Crane was also a psychiatrist at Arkham in Batman Begins.

In fact, they underscore several other clues. Rush’s profession as a psychiatrist mirrors Jonathan Crane’s expertise as a professor of psychology in DC Comics. His unorthodox methods, meanwhile, including the use of a psychoactive drug to complement his work, are akin to Scarecrow’s archetypal use of fear toxin. Rush is even seen using deep-seated trauma antagonistically with Oz’s mother towards The Penguin‘s climax, a tactic synonymous with Scarecrow and his villainous MO. With all of this in mind, I feel like the only factor working against this theory was Rush’s name. That was, at least, until LeFranc’s recent comments.

The Penguin Showrunner Debunked The Theory Julian Rush Is Scarecrow

Lauren LeFanc Gave A Frank Answer To The Theory

ScreenRant recently caught up with The Penguin‘s showrunner, Lauren LeFanc, on the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet. The event took place nearly two months after The Penguin‘s season finale, meaning theories surrounding Rush’s secret identity and the possible involvement of a secondary villain ripped straight from DC Comics had plenty of time to marinate. When approached with these theories, however, Lauren LeFranc offered a succinct response that drew a definitive line beneath them, stating “Well, I can say he’s not the Scarecrow.“

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If there was any possibility that Rush might be developed into Scarecrow down the line, it seems that LeFranc’s comment has put a decisive stop to it. Ultimately, this means that the needled glove in Rush’s office was purely an Easter egg, the likes of which are rarely seen in modern superhero adaptations. I’ll admit that I was initially miffed at the refutation, as conditioned as I am to believe every Easter egg needs a payoff, but after some further consideration, I think this could actually be better for the franchise overall.

If Julian Rush Isn’t Scarecrow, His Character Becomes Even More Intriguing

Julian Rush Wasn’t Written Into A Corner

Julian Rush survived the events of The Penguin and now continues his work in Arkham, once again working with Sofia Falcone during her second stint in the institution. This leaves the door open for the character, suggesting that he might yet have more to offer, whether in The Batman Part II or a possible second season of The Penguin. I’m keen to see how his character develops, and this would have been a lot more constrained had LeFranc and others involved in the show written him to be this universe’s version of Scarecrow.

This helps to make the character far less predictable to audiences familiar with Batman’s DC Comics lore, yet no less compelling now we are aware of his mind-altering methods.

Instead, Rush could now embody several other, less well-known characters, like Hugo Strange, Professor Pyg, or Calendar Man. Alternatively, and perhaps more likely, Rush could continue being an original character in Matt Reeves’ Batman franchise or The Penguin season 2 – and that is fine, actually. This helps to make the character far less predictable to audiences familiar with Batman’s DC Comics lore, yet no less compelling now we are aware of his mind-altering methods. On the other hand, it also leaves the door open for Reeves to deliver a fresh take on Jonathan Crane down the line.

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