The Penguin, one of the most anticipated TV shows for superhero fans, is something we’ve all been waiting for ever since we first met Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot back in March 2022. And now, after years of planning, shooting, and promotion, the show is finally coming to the 2024 TV schedule.
Below is a breakdown of The Penguin and everything we know about the show, including its premiere date, cast, story, and just about everything else you’d care to know. That said, sit back, relax, and come with us as we go back to Gotham City for The Penguin.
What Is The Penguin Premiere Date?
The wait is almost over, as The Penguin is set to premiere at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 19, 2024, for both HBO viewers and those with a Max subscription, Warner Bros. has announced. New episodes will debut at 9 p.m. each Sunday, starting on September 29, 2024.
The show was originally slated to be a Max exclusive series, but Deadline reported in July 2024 that a decision was made to make it an HBO original, making it available on traditional TV in addition to streaming.
The Penguin Cast
When The Penguin takes to the airwaves (and streaming-verse) this fall, it will bring with it some of the most famous Batman characters, played by the likes of Cristin Milioti, Clancy Brown, and Colin Farrell, who stars as Oswald Copplepot. Let’s meet the Penguin cast.
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot
Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone
Cristin Milioti, the star of shows like How I Met Your Mother and movies like Palm Springs, will be near the top of The Penguin’s pecking order as Sofia Falcone, the daughter of John Turturro’s late Carmine Falcone from The Batman.
Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar
Rhenzy Feliz, best known for appearances on Marvel’s Runaways and Teen Wolf, will be showing up as Victor Aguilar, the Penguin’s young driver.
Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti
Michael Kelly has appeared on shows like House of Cards and Jack Ryan over the years, and now he’ll be taking on the role of Falcone underboss Johnny Vitti when we return to Gotham.
Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni
Shohreh Aghdashloo, who received an Academy Award nomination for her turn in House of Sand and Fog, will take on the role of Nadia Maroni on The Penguin.
Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb
Deirdre O’Connell, whose credits include City of Angels, Synecdoche, New York, St. Vincent, and The Affair, will show up on The Penguin as Francis Cobb, Oz’s mother.
Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni
The incomparable Clancy Brown will add yet another addition to his filmography when the prolific actor (and voice actor) takes on the role of crime boss Salvatore Maroni on The Penguin.
James Madio as Milos Grapa
James Madio, whose credits include Band of Brothers, Bones, and The Offer, will show up on The Penguin as Milos Grapa.
Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone
Scott Cohen is taking on the role of Luca Falcone on The Penguin. Fans of shows like Oz, Gilmore Girls, and Billions will be stoked.
Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone
Michael Zegen, best known for his roles on Rescue Me, Boardwalk Empire, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, has landed a spot on The Penguin as Alberto Falcone.
Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo
Carmen Ejogo has spent the past few decades giving commanding performances in movies like Selma, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and It Comes at Night, and now she’ll go to Gotham as Eve Karlo.
Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush
Sons of Anarchy alum, Theo Rossi is going to be taking on the role of Dr. Julian Rush when The Penguin premieres.
The Penguin Teaser Trailer Offers A Glimpse Into Oswald Cobblepot's Past And Shows All Kinds Of Characters
Back in April 2023, the first teaser for The Penguin hinted at a war for control of Gotham’s underworld following the events of The Batman, and we were left speculating for more than a year about what was coming next. Well, in June 2024, Max and HBO released the latest Penguin trailer, a sizable clip that was heavy on details and characters despite not featuring Batman.
With hints at an engaging backstory for everyone’s favorite Batman villain and a tease of what’s to come in the next stage of his rise to the top of Gotham’s criminal element, there’s a lot to digest here. And while plenty of questions are left unanswered, it won’t be long before we get to see the show for ourselves.
What Is The Penguin About?
In case you are in need of a quick recap, The Batman ending saw a flooded Gotham after The Riddler’s plan to blow up the city’s seawall was successful after his capture by The Dark Knight. In the film’s prologue, Oswald Cobblepot is seen standing in his base of operations looking out at the new landscape and new opportunities that are now within reach following the death of Carmine Falcone. And, according to comments made by Farrell when speaking with Extra in October 2022, The Penguin will start not long after those game-changing events:
It starts about a week after The Batman ends. So, Gotham is somewhat still under water. I read the first script for the first episode, and it opens up with my feet splashing through the water in Falcone’s office. Even just that alone, I read and went, ‘Oh, jeez.'
Later on in the interview, Farrell explained that he loved playing the character, so much so, he was “greedy” and felt like he didn’t have enough.
The Penguin Was Inspired By Scarface And The Long Good Friday
Not a whole lot has been revealed about the plot of The Penguin, but The Batman director, Matt Reeves, did shed some light on the inspiration for the show and its main character when speaking with Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast ahead of the release of his 2022 DC movie. During the interview, Reeves compared the upcoming HBO show to one of the best gangster movies of the past 50 years:
There’s a great Penguin story that’s an American Dream-Scarface story of a guy who is underestimated; how nobody thinks he’s capable of doing anything, who believes in himself with a visceral violence.
Also in the interview, Reeves listed the 1980 British gangster film, The Long Good Friday, as another inspiration for the Max series. The movie, which starred the late Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, touched on a number of topics that sound familiar to fans of one of Batman’s greatest foes: crime, political and police corruption, and violence.
Lauren LeFranc Will Serve As The Penguin’s Writer And Showrunner
Reeves will serve as one of the executive producers on The Penguin, but the filmmaker behind The Batman won’t be the person running the day-to-day operations, as that honor has been bestowed upon Lauren LeFranc. When the show was officially picked up by Max, and later HBO, following the success of The Batman, Deadline revealed that LeFranc, who penned the pilot episode, had been named the showrunner and writer for the upcoming series.
While this will be LeFranc’s first project set in Gotham City, the writer and producer worked on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout the Marvel show’s run.
Craig Zobel Will Direct The First Three Episodes Of The Penguin
As the release of information regarding The Penguin went from a trickle to a light flow when the show’s pre-production process began to amp up, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that filmmaker Craig Zobel had been tasked with directing the first three episodes of the upcoming series. The outlet pointed out in October 2022 that the director, who has an overall deal with Max, had also joined the upcoming project as an executive producer.
Zobel, who has worked with the premium cable outlet on shows like The Leftovers, Westworld, and most recently Mare of Easttown, has also directed controversial movies like Compliance and The Hunt throughout his career.
There is no word on who will direct the remaining five episodes or if Zobel will stick around and direct the entire first season of The Penguin, but expect to find out shortly.
The Max Series Will Consist Of Eight Episodes
The Batman clocked in at a little over three hours back in March 2022, but that will pale in comparison to the length of its spinoff series. In August 2024, HBO confirmed that the series will consist of eight episodes, though the length of each chapter has not yet been revealed.
What Is The Penguin Rated?
Unlike most comic book properties, the best Batman movies and TV shows have been rated everything from PG to R (or their respective TV equivalents), and just like Matt Reeves’ 2022 gritty crime epic, the upcoming limited series will fall on the more restrictive side. According to The Penguin show listing on Max, the series will be rated TV-MA. No specific information regarding the rating is given, but we can assume there will be violence, language, and all other kinds of material not appropriate for younger viewers.
The Penguin Is The Bridge Between Matt Reeves’ Batman Movies
With The Penguin being set in the days following the events of The Batman, we always had an idea as to where the show fell in the franchise’s timeline, but now we know how much the series and movies are connected. When speaking with Entertainment Weekly in July 2024, showrunner Lauren LeFranc revealed that the show will serve as a “bridge” between The Batman and Reeves’ Batman: Part II, stating:
We are the bridge between the two films. We’re going almost directly into the second film Matt has planned.
LeFranc stopped short of giving the entire limited series away, but this little tidbit of information does paint a picture as to what we can expect from the show this fall. And on top of that, it makes us all the more excited for what’s to come when Robert Pattinson’s Batman returns in 2026.
Expect to hear more about The Penguin in the coming weeks as we get closer to its September 19, 2024 premiere. In the meantime, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get all caught up on all the upcoming DC Movies that will find their way to the big screen in the next few years.
