A limited series that became a hit problem
The Penguin premiered on HBO in September 2024, as a spin-off of Matt Reeves 2022 film The Batman, following Colin Farrell's Oswald Oz Cobb as he rose through Gotham's criminal underworld. Created by Lauren LeFranc, the show was developed as a limited series, which means it was designed to end, not to run for years.
That design became a problem when the show became a hit. It earned 24 Emmy nominations, the second most-nominated programme of its year behind Severance, and won nine Emmys, including acting wins for Farrell and Cristin Milioti. A limited series with that kind of success always faces pressure for more, from fans, from HBO, and from the wider Batman universe.
Farrell's performance is the reason for that pressure. Under heavy prosthetics, he built Oz as a tragic, funny, terrifying figure, a man who wants respect, love, and power, in that order, and will destroy anyone who stands between him and those things. That performance made Oz feel like a lead, not a villain-of-the-week, and leads demand returns.
Farrell's one condition for coming back
Farrell has said he absolutely believes there is potential to explore more of Oz's story, but only if the story is strong enough to stand up to Season 1. Speaking to People at the Sugar Season 2 premiere, he asked, should we, can we get there, could we justify a second or third season when the first was as strong as it was. Those are the conversations that still need to happen.
That condition is not just modesty. Season 1 ended on a devastating note, with Oz's choices costing him the people closest to him, and a second season that softens that ending would cheapen it. Farrell knows that, and LeFranc knows it too. Any return must be amazing, in Farrell's word, because LeFranc and her team did such an extraordinary job the first time.
Executive producer Dylan Clark has said quiet conversations about a second season were under way, and that if the team could come up with a strong enough idea, HBO boss Casey Bloys would likely want to pursue it. Those conversations are reported, not an announcement, and they show the door is open, but not yet walked through.
Conflicting reports, and what they actually mean
In June 2026, Jeff Sneider of The InSneider reported that DC and HBO will not move forward with a second season, and that The Penguin will remain a limited series. Neither DC nor HBO commented on that report, which is important, because a non-comment is not a confirmation, and studios often stay silent on reports they neither confirm nor deny.
Other coverage, based on a Writers Guild listing, claimed Season 2 was officially happening, with LeFranc returning as showrunner and Semi Chellas joining as consulting producer. That listing is a credible indicator of development, because only writers, productions, or the WGA itself can add listings, but a listing is not a green light either. Development and production are different stages.
The honest status, then, is mixed. There is development talk, there is a report saying no, there is no official HBO announcement either way, and Farrell's own comments sit in the middle, open, but demanding. Treat any headline that says Season 2 is definitely happening, or definitely dead, as overclaiming, because the sources do not agree yet.
Batman Part II comes first, for everyone
HBO chief Casey Bloys has said Farrell will appear in The Batman Part II, which is set for October 1, 2027 in US theatres, and that focus explains much of the delay. Bloys said Farrell has other films going on, that the situation is certainly complicated, and that he just does not know about a second season yet. That is not a no. It is a not now, while the film comes first.
Farrell himself has said the same, that the powers that be are working very hard on bringing Batman to life now, so there is no time to get into another Penguin season yet, but maybe when shooting is completed, they can start thinking about a second and third season. That timeline pushes any serious Penguin Season 2 talk to after Part II, which means 2028 at the earliest for a return, if it happens at all.
Part II will also shape what a Penguin return could be, because Oz's film story must align with any TV story. If Oz rises, falls, or changes in the film, a TV season must follow that, not contradict it. That alignment is another reason to wait, because a rushed TV season that clashes with the film would hurt both.
How to watch Season 1 while you wait
The Penguin streams on HBO Max, eight episodes, all available now, and it works as a complete story, even without a second season. Watch it as a tragedy, not as a superhero show, because Oz's rise is also his fall, and the final episodes land harder if you know that from the start.
If you are new, watch The Batman first, then The Penguin, then wait for Part II in October 2027. That order gives you Oz's full arc so far, from film villain to TV lead to film return. If Season 2 ever comes, it will build on all three, and you will be ready, without needing to rewatch everything at the last minute.
Sources and reporting
- ComingSoon — June 2026 · Verifies the Sneider no-Season-2 report, the limited series origin, and Part II in October 2027
- CinemaBlend — 2026 · Verifies Farrell's condition, nine Emmy wins, and post-Part II timing talk
- Comic Basics — 2026 · Verifies the WGA listing claim, LeFranc return claim, and 24 Emmy nominations
