HBO’s highly anticipated limited series, The Penguin, stars Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, famously known as the Penguin, one of Gotham City’s most notorious villains. Spanning eight episodes, this gritty series is a continuation of the epic crime saga that filmmaker Matt Reeves started with The Batman (2022), where Robert Pattinson reintroduced a darker, more grounded portrayal of the Caped Crusader. Building on that foundation, The Penguin dives deep into the seedy underbelly of Gotham City, exploring the complex and dangerous world of organized crime through the eyes of its unlikely kingpin.
Farrell’s portrayal of the Penguin in The Batman was a standout performance, with his physically transformative role as the disfigured and ruthless crime lord leaving fans eager for more. In The Penguin, Farrell reprises the role, this time as the central character, allowing for a deeper exploration of Oz’s rise to power. His character is both a product and an embodiment of Gotham’s decay, a city defined by corruption and violence. With the series positioned as a direct continuation of The Batman, viewers will witness Cobblepot’s transformation from a lieutenant in Gotham’s criminal world to a full-fledged mob boss vying for control of the city’s underworld.
Farrell’s commitment to the character has already generated significant buzz, as his nuanced performance brings complexity to a villain who has often been portrayed as a caricature in earlier adaptations. This Penguin is not a cartoonish villain but rather a cunning, ruthless, and deeply human figure whose ambitions are as large as Gotham’s skyscrapers.
Alongside Farrell, the series boasts an impressive ensemble cast. Cristin Milioti stars as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of crime lord Carmine Falcone, who will undoubtedly play a key role in Gotham’s ever-shifting power dynamics. Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Deirdre O’Connell round out the cast, with each actor bringing their unique flair to a show steeped in dark drama.
Clancy Brown’s involvement as Salvatore Maroni—another iconic crime figure in Gotham—will surely raise the stakes as the Penguin navigates his ascent in the criminal hierarchy. The supporting cast also includes James Madio, Scott Cohen, Michael Zegen, Carmen Ejogo, and Theo Rossi, ensuring that Gotham’s streets will be filled with intrigue, betrayal, and plenty of suspense.
As the mastermind behind The Batman, Matt Reeves returns as an executive producer alongside Dylan Clark and Colin Farrell himself. The creative team, which also includes showrunner Lauren LeFranc, writer of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is set to expand on the noir-inspired world first crafted in The Batman. Gotham, as seen in the film, is a sprawling, rain-soaked, crime-ridden city that feels simultaneously modern and timeless. With The Penguin, viewers can expect more of this haunting atmosphere, punctuated by moments of intense action and psychological depth.
The series promises to dig deeper into the power struggles, criminal alliances, and the gritty realism of Gotham’s underworld, a landscape dominated by warring crime families and morally gray characters. While Batman’s shadow looms large over Gotham, this series focuses on the villains and antiheroes, giving audiences a fresh perspective on what makes Gotham tick.
Produced by 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions, The Penguin continues DC Studios’ mission to diversify its storytelling on-screen, offering audiences more grounded, character-driven narratives. DC fans will be pleased to see that the series stays true to the legacy of Bob Kane and Bill Finger, who created the Penguin character for the comic books. Yet under Reeves’ guidance, this version of the Penguin offers something new—an exploration of the psychology and motivations behind one of Gotham’s most feared crime lords.
Executive producers Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Lauren LeFranc, Craig Zobel, Bill Carraro, and Daniel Pipski have assembled a team that is both passionate and talented, ready to explore the grim realities of Gotham City beyond the reach of its masked vigilante. This alignment of talent suggests that The Penguin will not just be a companion piece to The Batman but a compelling series in its own right, filled with rich storytelling and character development.
With an ensemble cast, a visionary production team, and a beloved yet darkly reimagined villain at its center, The Penguin is shaping up to be one of HBO’s most anticipated series. Set against the backdrop of Matt Reeves’ Gotham, it offers viewers a thrilling and atmospheric journey through the city’s criminal underworld. As The Batman redefined the superhero genre with its noir-style narrative and raw intensity, The Penguin promises to continue that legacy, presenting Gotham’s seediest figures in their most compelling form yet.
Fans of the DC Universe, crime dramas, and Farrell’s transformative performances won’t want to miss this gripping series.
The penguin is streaming now: NEW EPISODES SUNDAYS AT 9 PM
Watch on HBO MAX or with a free trial on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3BdSOMd
Although the very first episode aired last Thursday (September 19) and was repeated over the weekend new episodes will premiere in a different slot. Going forward, new episodes of “The Penguin” will instead air on HBO and Max on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT; here’s the full release schedule so you know when each new chapter drops:
- “The Penguin” episode 1 – Thursday, September 19
- “The Penguin” episode 2 – Sunday, September 29
- “The Penguin” episode 3 – Sunday, October 6
- “The Penguin” episode 4 – Sunday, October 13
- “The Penguin” episode 5 – Sunday, October 20
- “The Penguin” episode 6 – Sunday, October 27
- “The Penguin” episode 7 – Sunday November 3
- “The Penguin” episode 8 – Sunday, November 10