Colin Farrell reveals more details about the Penguin HBO Max show

The Batman
(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Colin Farrell has revealed more information about the Penguin HBO Max series – including the episode count. Farrell stars as the titular crime boss in the show, reprising his role from The Batman

"I think it's going to be eight parts for HBO around Oz's rise into power, filling that power vacuum that was created when Falcone was killed," Farrell told Variety's Awards Circuit podcast. "Matt [Reeves]'s idea originally was to have the Penguin show begin about a week after the end of the Batman film. And then, if it works, if the trajectory is interesting enough and if the audience go for it and we do our jobs right, have the second film – Penguin feature in the second film and pick up where the HBO show will end." The actor also added that he doesn't yet know if he'll be in The Batman 2, though. 

Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, has previously indicated that the HBO Max show will set up The Batman 2, which has since been revealed to have the very straightforward title The Batman Part 2. 

"There's actually a whole little fabric of things we're wanting to do, the way we're doing with [the] Penguin and how that comes back into how that will lead into the sequel, and what that sequel is going to be," Reeves revealed. 

DC is currently undergoing some major changes after James Gunn unveiled part of his and Peter Safran's new slate of movies and TV shows. DCU Chapter One will include a new Superman film and a new Batman movie, but The Batman's universe will remain separate under the label DC Elseworlds, along with Joker and its sequel Folie à Deux. 

The Batman 2 arrives October 3, 2025, while the Penguin series doesn't yet have a release date. In the meantime, check out everything we know about all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows. 

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Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

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