Summary
- The success of The Penguin series led to excitement for season two, but delays are foreseeable due to The Batman Part II.
- Matt Reeves has hinted at another season, but the timeline is uncertain, potentially leaving fans waiting for years.
- The delay could lead to a connection between The Penguin and Batman on-screen, though the risk of audience disinterest is present.
The Penguin was an immensely popular television series that led to Colin Farrell winning a Golden Globe. The series that focused on the popular Batman villain ended up being far more enjoyable than anybody thought it would have been, with the darkness and the development of Oswald Cobb’s character being gripping from start to finish of The Penguin.
It has led to plenty of excitement surrounding a potential second season of the HBO series, but nothing is confirmed at this stage. Producer and Batman director Matt Reeves has given an update on the possibility of The Penguin returning for a second season that might be more disappointing than people hoped for.
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Matt Reeves Has Given An Update On The Penguin Season Two
Reeves told The Hollywood Reporter, “Obviously, we’re doing The Batman 2, and we want to get the timing right on that. Our plan and our hope is to absolutely do another season. We just have to come up with the idea that we think is the right idea, which is what we’re working on.”
It’s relatively vague news, as Reeves obviously does not want to give too much away regarding what is planned unless there is official confirmation to accompany it. However, it does hint towards the need for The Batman Part II to be completed first, which means that audiences are going to have to wait potentially several years for either to be brought to the forefront.
The Batman Part II Has Already Suffered Delays
It’s going to come as frustrating news for people wanting a second season of The Penguin because The Batman Part II’s release date has already been delayed. The movie has been pushed back to October 1, 2027, with the Hollywood strikes in 2023 being seen as a reason for that. This means that The Penguin season two would likely not come until after that, which is going to be a long wait for anyone hoping to see Farrell back behind under the makeup to deliver more performances as Cobb.
This is a risky situation considering the success of The Penguin. The show was a huge hit that would normally lead to a rush for a new season to be created. However, the opposite approach is being taken here, and that’s not necessarily a good thing for fan engagement or building excitement for the project. The consistent delays surrounding DC projects or the decision to push releases back further aren’t going to help build trust in audiences. After receiving a lot of praise for the first season, the idea should’ve been to push things forward for more content, but slowing down is only going to lead to frustration.
The Penguin And The Batman Could Link Together
The decision to delay a second season of The Penguin could be because there are bigger plans for the character to have a connection to Robert Pattinson’s Batman, which could be an intriguing prospect. It has been confirmed that Farrell has signed on for three movies moving forward, and he’s expected to have up to six scenes in the upcoming Batman film. While he’s not going to be the movie’s main protagonist, he’s going to have some involvement, which could lead to the main plot of the next season being set. Whether that would then see Batman appear in The Penguin remains to be seen, but it would certainly get a lot of attention on the project and would have people talking about it.
The possibility of having these two iconic characters interact will appeal to many fans, and DC Studios will want to get it right. However, taking extra time over that situation is the wrong call at this stage. People don’t want to wait three, potentially four years for the next season of a show; that isn’t how television usually operates. Audiences want more content while it’s fresh in their minds, not seriously delayed because that can lead to a show being forgotten about. It doesn’t matter how good the series is or how many awards it gains; if there’s a significant gap, then people will stop caring as other things come along and take their attention, which is why a delay is such a risk.
The delay in a second season of The Penguin could be happening for all the right reasons and might create something special in the long run. It’s ultimately going to be problematic here and now. People are desperate to see that story continue, and delaying it could lead to the momentum and interest in a second season disappearing. People want more from this world, and frustrating fans by making them wait is a risk potentially not worth taking. Pushing The Batman Part II back has already frustrated people enough, but having that decision impact the second season of The Penguin is only going to make matters worse.
Created by Lauren LeFranc and starring Colin Farrell, The Penguin builds on 2022’s The Batman. The Max series chronicles the eponymous villain’s attempt to reach Gotham’s criminal peak, rising through the underworld in the middle of a power struggle.