The Penguin is one of the most eagerly-awaited shows of the year. Although it hasn’t premiered yet, there are speculations about a prospective second season despite reports from some outlets that it’s a miniseries. Even if that’s the case, there are plenty of shows that were originally envisioned as limited series but later became multi-seasonal projects.
If fans are hoping that the same will happen with The Penguin, they will be disappointed in what Colin Farrell, who portrays the titular character, has to say on the prospects of his return for a second season.
Colin Farrell addresses potential The Penguin Season 2 return
Farrell indicated in a recent interview that he might not return for a potential sophomore season of The Penguin. He explained that while the experience of playing Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot/Penguin had been “powerful,” he struggled with the prosthetics, costume, and dealing with the psychology of the character.
“I don’t know, man,” Farrell said in response to a question about his return for the potential second season during an interview with the Total Film magazine. “Don’t get me wrong – I loved it – but it got in on me a little bit,” he added. “By the end of it, I was b******* and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I f****** wanted it to be finished. I tried to remind them that I had ‘grumpy gratitude.’ I was still grateful, and still honored – I grew up watching Burgess Meredith [who portrayed the character in the ’60s TV series Batman], and then Danny DeVito [in 1992’s Batman Returns] was my Penguin – so being a part of the lineage of that storytelling, I really did feel privileged. But by the end of it . . .”
Farrell debuted in the role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022). The Penguin reportedly takes place a week after the events of that film and follows Oz in his pursuit of more power in the Gotham underworld.
Recalling his time on the set of the show, Farrell continued, “It’s not like I didn’t know who I was and I was going out and burning cars and shit, but… if you take what Matt Reeves created and then what [showrunner and series creator Lauren LeFranc] did and what [prosthetics and make-up designer Mike Marino] did and put them all together, it was a really powerful experience.”
In the same interview, Farrell seemingly hinted that there had been conversations about a second season. “Lauren said, ‘Look, if I could find a way that makes sense, would you talk about it?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely.’ And maybe in a year I would. But when I finished I was like, ‘I never want to put that f****** suit and that f****** head on again,'” Farrell recalled. Given that the show revolves around his character, it’s unclear how Season 2, if it happens, will shape up without him.
The Penguin premieres on Max on September 19, 2024,
