Colin Farrell first brought the iconic villain Penguin to life in 2022’s The Batman. His gritty portrayal of the crime boss earned widespread praise. As Matt Reeves prepares to start filming The Batman Part 2, he has confirmed that Farrell will return as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot. In the sequel, Cobblepot will be solidifying his power in Gotham’s underworld. Reeves has teased new villains for the film but remains committed to keeping Gotham grounded. The sequel will stay connected to the dark, crime-ridden world introduced in the first film.
Matt Reeves confirms Colin Farrell return as Penguin in The Batman Part 2
Matt Reeves confirmed that Colin Farrell will return as Penguin in The Batman Part 2. He also detailed how the HBO series The Penguin will connect directly to the film.
In an interview with SFX magazine for its October 2024 issue, Reeves stated:
“The plan is to shoot next year, and we’re finishing up the script now. Colin [Farrell] will be part of the movie. We’ve shared [the script] as we’ve been going along with DC and the studio, and they’re super excited.” (via Deadline)
Reeves elaborated that The Penguin series is the “entry point” to the Batman sequel and “absolutely connected to where we leave things in the series.” He explained, “There are details that actually connect right into the way the next movie begins, and the way that Oz enters that world as we hand the baton back to Batman.”
Further, he stated that the upcoming Batman movie will explore the story of deeper corruption, hinting that new villains could be introduced in the movie. Reeves said:
“[It’s] going to dig into the epic story about deeper corruption, and it goes into places that he couldn’t anticipate in the first one. The seeds of where this goes are all in the first movie, and it expands in a way that will show you aspects of the character you never got to see.”
“Batman is constantly battling these forces. But those forces can’t be entirely exorcised. So the next movie delves deeper into that,” he added.
Whether those rogues turn out to be Hush or the Court of Owls remains to be seen.
Matt Reeves addresses Gentleman Ghost rumors
Matt Reeves addressed rumors about including Gentleman Ghost in The Batman Part 2, clarifying that the character does not fit within his grounded vision of Gotham.
Reeves stated, “We might push to the edge of the fantastical but we would never go into full fantastical. It’s meant to feel quite grounded,” emphasizing that Gentleman Ghost “is probably pushed a bit too far for us to be able to find a way to do.”
Reeves further explained his approach to adapting iconic characters, stating, “What was important to me was to find a way to take these pop icons … and translate it so that Gotham feels like a place in our world.” He expressed an interest in making characters believable within the realistic tone of his films. This often meant avoiding some of the more supernatural figures in the Batman universe.
The Batman Part 2 will start filming in 2025. It will continue to explore Gotham’s corruption and expand on themes from the first film. Although Gentleman Ghost won’t appear, Reeves has hinted at new villains and deeper storylines. These will challenge Batman in unexpected ways. The film is set to release on October 2, 2026.
