The Penguin is out now – here's when new episodes drop

Colin Farrell’s portrayal of The Penguin in The Batman was praised by critics and fans, mainly due to his comedic timing and the thrilling chase sequence with the Batmobile. But in his spin-off series, his character delves further into the complex, criminal underworld.

Bruce Wayne’s fight with the Riddler turned Gotham to ruin. On the remains of the old order, new leaders are coming to power, and fresh alliances are being born.

Oswald Cobb, known as The Penguin, has appeared multiple times in films and series about Batman. So far, the most famous interpretation of this character has belonged to Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

However, in Matt Reeves’ movie from 2022, Colin Farrell took on the role, and he was almost unrecognisable under a thick layer of makeup. The new version of the Penguin spoke so strongly to audiences that HBO decided to create a series covering the gangster’s march for power in Gotham City.

We’ve rounded up all the essential information about this new production from the DC universe. You can also check out our official review after watching all eight episodes of the drama.

Macall Polay/HBO

Macall Polay/HBO

Macall Polay/HBO

What channel is The Penguin on?

Episodes of The Penguin are rolling out now. DC fans in the US can catch the show on HBO and Max.

In the UK, episodes air at the same time as they do in America on Sky TV and streaming service Now. That means viewers will get episodes the day after due to the time difference (more on that below).

If you don’t want a late night, then you can also view the episode on Sky Atlantic the following evening at 9pm BST.

The Penguin episode release schedule

Despite debuting on a Thursday, future episodes of The Penguin won’t be released on the same day every week. There will be a little break between episodes 1 and 2 before the show settles into a regular pattern.

Here’s the full episode release schedule for The Penguin:

• The Penguin episode 1 – ‘After Hours’ – Thursday 19 September at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US), Friday 20 September at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 2 – ‘Inside Man – Sunday 29 September at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 30 September at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 3 – TBA – Sunday 6 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 7 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 4 – TBA – Sunday 13 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 8 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 5 – TBA – Sunday 20 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 21 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 6 – TBA – Sunday 27 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 28 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 7 – TBA – Sunday 3 November at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 4 November at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 8 – TBA – Sunday 10 November at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 11 November at 2am BST (UK)

What is the plot of The Penguin?

The series picks up right after the finale of The Batman movie. The clash with the Riddler led Gotham City to ruin, with large areas of the city ending up underwater. Chaos also reigns in the criminal underworld, which, after the death of the mafia boss Carmine Falcone, is left without leadership.

In the new HBO series, Penguin tries to take over power in the world of criminals – the creators describe the project as a Scarface-like story.

One of the most important characters in the series is Sofia, the daughter of the late Carmine Falcone. In comic books, she made her first appearance in 1997’s Batman: The Long Halloween. As a serial killer named the Hangman, she spent a year eliminating members of the Gotham City Police Department. She was, however, released from prison early at her father’s request.

The Penguin seems to use at least parts of Sofia’s comic book arc. In the latest trailer for the series, she appears as a power-hungry successor of Carmine, who will cause Oswald a lot of trouble.

Another important character in the series is Victor Aguilar. He is Penguin’s young driver and protégé, who accompanies him during his fight for power.

As Sarah Aubrey, head of originals at Max, said in an interview for Variety:

The goal of this is to show what Oz’s life is like and that’s very much in the streets of Gotham, trying to get up and over as only the Penguin can. As a hustler and a strategist with his own ambitions. It is a great example of having the time over eight episodes to tell a longer-arc character story with a lot of delicious twists and turns and new characters. It’s very much going to be about Gotham at that street level because he’s not flying around like Batman does. We are all embracing that as a very specific experience for audiences to have.

Even more interesting is that The Penguin will serve as an introduction to The Batman: Part Two. It seems that the series is planned to be a must-see for all fans of the rebooted Dark Knight franchise.

Is there a trailer for The Penguin?

The first teaser shows a slice of the Penguin’s world:

The latest teaser for the show reveals a bloody fight for power between Gotham’s mobsters:

The official trailer, presented at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, reveals Oswald’s foes and allies:

You can also watch more about the creation of the Penguin here:

Who’s starring in The Penguin?

The following actors are confirmed to star in The Penguin:

• Colin Farrell – Oswald “Oz” Cobb / The Penguin
• Cristin Milioti – Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Carmine Falcone
• Michael Kelly – Johnny Vitti, the underboss of the Falcone crime family
• Clancy Brown – Salvatore Maroni, a mob boss
• Michael Zegen – Alberto Falcone, Carmine’s son and Sofia’s brother
• Rhenzy Feliz – Victor Aguilar
• Deirdre O’Connell – Francis Cobb
• Shohreh Aghdashloo – Nadia Maroni
• James Madio – Milos Grapa
• Scott Cohen – Luca Falcone
• Carmen Ejogo – Eve Karlo
• Theo Rossi – Dr. Julian Rush

Fans of the DC universe have been wondering if Robert Pattinson will appear in the series as Batman. However, that has since been disputed by Matt Reeves himself.

The series is created by Lauren LeFranc. Matt Reeves and Colin Farrell serve as the executive producers, among others.

Will there be a season 2 of The Penguin?

HBO has not announced another season of The Penguin. The first season will lead directly into The Batman: Part Two, so it’ll likely depend on the events of that film, and if the cast and crew are willing to come back.

For Colin Farrell, the ordeal of going through all the make-up was a lot for the series, according to GamesRadar. We may learn more after The Penguin debuts on TV and streaming services.

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