There is no doubt about it: The Penguin has been one of 2024's greatest shows. The DC series comes from the visionary mind of Matt Reeves and serves as both a spinoff and sequel to his critically-acclaimed 2022 movie The Batman. Colin Farrell returns as the titular Batman villain, as the series tracks Oswald "Oz" Cobb's progress from gangster to kingpin.
The show is set just one week after the events of the 2022 movie, with Gotham City still trying to pull itself back from the brink of The Riddler's attack. Batman is now less of a vengeful vigilante and more of an icon of hope but, save for a reference to him in the opening scene, we don't see or hear from our dear Dark Knight throughout the course of the show. Instead, the focus is solely on The Penguin, who seeks to take over the criminal empire now that Carmine Falcone is no longer with the living.
The show has been an incredible ride, and Farrell's performance is nothing short of outstanding. But even with the acclaim and potential awards buzz to its name, we probably shouldn't be expecting a second season of the show. Here's why.
The Penguin is a miniseries designed to bridge the gap between Batman movies
In this day and age of multiseason TV shows and streaming phenomenons, it's quite easy to forget that miniseries still exist. If a series doesn't last beyond one season, many are quick to assume that it's down to a cancellation, but that's not always the case. And it certainly wouldn't be the case with The Penguin.
Sure, the series operates like a TV show, releasing eight full-length episodes (the norm for big-budget cable and streaming shows these days), but that doesn't change the fact that it was envisioned as a miniseries. Excellent as the show is, it was designed for a purpose and it has undoubtedly succeeded in that purpose.
The Penguin was designed as a way of bridging the gap between The Batman and its 2026 sequel The Batman - Part II and it has pulled that off with ease. By doing so, it became an even more appreciated chapter within this universe. Remember, the 2026 sequel was originally supposed to come out much sooner, but multiple delays have meant that it's still a long while off. As a result, The Penguin allowed us to return to Matt Reeves' Epic Crime Saga much sooner than that, and for an extended period of time.
Its other purpose was to strengthen the character of Oz Cobb, so that by the time we meet him again in The Batman sequel, he'll be the infamous Penguin that DC Comics fans know and fear. Mission accomplished.
Colin Farrell struggled filming a whole series in the suit
Colin Farrell is extremely proud of the work that he and everybody else involved produced during The Penguin's run, but he also made it clear that it was a struggle to make the series wearing the prosthetics and the suit to bring Oz Cobb to life.
Speaking to Total Film shortly before the release of the series, he revealed that - although he loved making the show - he's not sure he could do another season. After all, an eight-episode TV series with that amount of prosthetics is a lot tougher than playing the same character in a supporting role in a movie like The Batman.
"I don't know, man... Don't get me wrong – I loved it – but it got in on me a little bit. By the end of it, I was bitching and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I f*cking wanted it to be finished"
That being said, Farrell would be open to returning for another season if the opportunity came up again, adding that the whole thing was "a really powerful experience". He has spoken to showrunner Lauren LeFranc about that possibility, too, revealing:
""Lauren said, 'Look, if I could find a way that makes sense, would you talk about it?' And I said, 'Absolutely.' And maybe in a year I would. But when I finished I was like, 'I never want to put that f*cking suit and that f*cking head on again.'""
The truth is that The Penguin has proven to be extremely popular, which isn't surprising given the genre and franchise that it is based on. So if Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. decide to alter their plans and do another season, it wouldn't be completely unexpected. However, given that Farrell is set to reprise the role in The Batman - Part II, which will likely see him cross paths with Robert Pattinson's Batman again, there may not be a need for it.
The Penguin may have come to an end (for now), but The Penguin himself is just getting started.