Matt Reeves' Batman universe has been a slow build, but it has delivered in every way possible. Following The Batman's release in 2022, it was revealed that Colin Farrell's Oswald Cobb would be given a spinoff show on HBO. The announcement was met with skepticism by some, but any doubt regarding the character's ability to carry his own starring vehicle dissipated when The Penguin premiered. The show became a critical darling, with praise given to its writing, cinematography, and Farrell's performance as the ruthless mobster.
After the show came to an end, fans eagerly anticipated the announcement of a Season 2. Over time, however, it started to look like the villain would only return in 2027's The Batman Part II. Well, fortunately, as it's just been confirmed that is not the case, because The Penguin Season 2 is officially in development. Bloomberg published an in-depth profile on DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The article listed all the projects coming from the studio, confirming The Penguin Season 2 to be one of them: "[There's] a lot more in the works: Supergirl and Clayface movies next year, sequels to Superman and The Batman in 2027, a second season of The Penguin and a true-crime series based on super-intelligent villain Gorilla Grodd."
Speaking to Deadline in April, Warner Bros. Television Group CEO Channing Dungey said that, though The Penguin had been designed as a one-off story, the people involved in the project were eager to return to Oz's corner of Gotham:
"The Penguin is one of those things where—and it's interesting, because when you talk with everyone involved, everyone is interested in possibly revisiting those characters and doing more—it was very much designed as a limited series. But I would never say never. I think if we can get the creative stars to line up in the right way, and the talent is available—because we certainly wouldn't want to do this without Colin [Farrell] and Cristin [Milioti] and that team—I would say it's definitely a possibility, but there's nothing in the works at the moment."
Though there are shows that work great as standalone seasons—particularly prestige ones—The Penguin was positioned perfectly for a continuation. It left open several storytelling avenues (Oswald's increasing ruthlesness, for example) that could make for fascinating plot points in a new season. The Penguin was smart, poignant and emotionally challenging. The superhero genre needs bold projects like it, so it is a welcome surprise to know it will be returning to our screens.
It's unclear how long development will take on The Penguin's sophomore chapter. In the meantime, Farrell's next confirmed appearance as Cobb is in The Batman Part II, which Bloomberg confirms will start shooting in May 2026. However, the character will have a fairly small role in the highly anticipated sequel. In September, at the Zurich Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter), Farrell revealed the size of his part, and praised its script, calling it "deeper and "scarier":
"I've got an even smaller role in this one. But I'm OK with that... I've read the script, from start to finish, and I can't say much about it. But it's deeper, scarier, the stakes are bigger. I'm really excited to see it."
The Batman Part II is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 1, 2027.
What do you think about The Penguin Season 2 being in development? What are you hoping to see in the show? Drop your thoughts in the comments!