It's official: Colin Farrell will reprise his role from The Batman in a spinoff series for HBO Max. News of The Penguin entering development had previously been reported on, but DC has now officially announced that the series is a go at the streamer. Farrell also confirmed the news with a statement expressing his excitement to return to his scene-stealing role.
“The world that Matt Reeves created for The Batman is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot," Farrell said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
The Batman director Matt Reeves added, “Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman, and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill.”
Reeves is executive producing the series, which is operating under the working title of The Penguin, alongside Farrell, Dylan Clark, Daniel Pipski, Adam Kassanand, and Lauren LeFranc, who serves as series showrunner.
“I have long been a fan of the world of The Batman, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon,” LeFranc explained. “I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City — and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?”
HBO Max's Penguin Series Will Chronicle Oswald's Rise Into a Criminal Kingpin
While Colin Farrell had limited screen time, in The Batman, he made the best of it with a very memorable performance. It was clear to Matt Reeves that he had something special with Farrell's take on Penguin long before the film was even released, as rumors of the spinoff go back several months. The immense success of the film may have been what was needed to get the official green light to move forward with production.
Meanwhile, Reeves is planning another spinoff series that will focus on Arkham Asylum, the maximum security facility that houses Gotham's most dangerous criminals. At one point, the director was plotting another spinoff that would have followed a corrupt cop working with the Gotham P.D., but that concept is no longer moving forward with the Arkham idea taking precedence. Other spinoffs are possible, and we will also more than likely see The Batman 2 get its own green light in the near future with the first film being such a hit.
The Batman is now playing in movie theaters everywhere. Farrell's spinoff series, The Penguin, doesn't yet have a release date set for HBO Max.