“We put it all out on the table”- The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc hints at potential for a second season, discusses need for stronger storyline

The Penguin season 2, a potential second season of the HBO series, is generating a lot of buzz online following the first season's end on November 10, 2024. The finale episode, titled A Great or Little Thing, completed Oz Cobblepot's transformation from a mid-level mobster to Penguin, Gotham City's fearsome crime kingpin.

The Penguin was developed as a miniseries of eight episodes by the showrunner, Lauren LeFranc. However, the show's immense success has reportedly led to potential talks of bringing back the series for yet another season.

Discussing the possibility of The Penguin season 2, LeFranc gave the following statement during an exclusive interview with The Direct on November 6, 2024:

"I mean, we put it all out on the table. I think that in order to do a second season, we have to feel like we can top ourselves. We have to feel like there’s something more there to really dig into. I mean, I really care about all these characters, even if they’re terrible people."

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What is the status of The Penguin season 2?

An image of Sofia and Oz from The Penguin (Image via Instagram/@thebatman)

HBO's hit drama, The Penguin is a spin-off sequel series that picks up right after the events of the 2022 film, The Batman, by Matt Reeves. While Robert Pattinson played the titular caped crusader, Colin Farrell appeared as the Penguin in a few scenes in the movie.

The series offered audiences an in-depth look into the orgin story of one of Batman's villains.

Despite the show's end, Penguin's character arc will continue in The Batman II film, set to release in October 2026, thus leaving little room for The Penguin season 2.

Moreover, LeFranc called the positive response to the show as "really exciting" and shared that she would need a strong storyline to justify a second season. In her interview with The Direct, she also said:

"I think it just has to be the right thing. We should never do anything just to do it."

As of this writing, there has been no official announcement regarding The Penguin season 2. In case that happens, it will follow other HBO limited shows like Big Little Lies and The White Lotus that were renewed for a second season due to their popularity among audiences.

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Will Colin Farrell return for The Penguin season 2?

The Penguin season 2 also seems like an unlikely proposition due to its star Colin Farrell's reluctance to don the prosthetics all over again. In the past, the Irish actor has spoken candidly about the physical and emotional toll playing the Batman villain took on him.

Farrell said in the September issue of Total Film that he was grateful for the opportunity to play Penguin/Oswald Cobb, but would not like to put on the fake suit and head again for the role:

"Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it got in on me a little bit. By the end of it, I was b*tching and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I f*****g wanted it to be finished. I tried to remind them that I had ‘grumpy gratitude.'"

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All episodes of The Penguin are available to stream on Max.