Colin Farrell is getting ready to wear the famous costume and makeup of The Penguin again. This time, he returns for the spinoff TV series following the success of The Batman in 2022. The new series, directed by Lauren LeFranc, will continue the story that began in the movie and bring more adventures for the famous DC villain.
In an interview with Collider, Matt Reeves, who directed and co-wrote The Batman, confirmed that The Penguin series will pick up where the movie left off and lead directly into The Batman: Part Two.
In a separate interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Reeves mentioned that they still plan to complete a trilogy of Batman movies. With so much excitement in store, it seems like a new era for Batman fans is coming. But before we get there, let’s take a look at how to watch The Penguin series.
When Is The Penguin Coming Out?
The Penguin will debut on Thursday, September 19, 2024. The series will have a total of eight episodes, ending on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
Will The Penguin Be on TV?
Yes! Since it’s a Warner Bros. Television production, and with HBO as their partner, The Penguin will air on HBO. The first episode will be available on Thursday, September 19, at 9 p.m. EST. HBO will also re-air the premiere multiple times that weekend, including the popular Sunday 9 p.m. slot, which was previously used for House of the Dragon.
Will The Penguin Be Available on Streaming?
As with all HBO series, The Penguin will be available on HBO Max (now just called Max). The streaming platform is offering a variety of other popular shows and movies that month, including the fourth and final season of My Brilliant Friend, A24’s hit film Civil War, and the horror movie I Saw the TV Glow, which will be available on Max starting September 20.
Can You Stream The Penguin Without Max?
Unfortunately, the only way to stream The Penguin when it launches is through Max. However, for those who prefer physical media, there’s a good chance the series will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K after its full release.
HBO usually releases its top shows on physical formats, and House of the Dragon Season 2 is set for home media on November 18, 2024. So, it’s likely The Penguin will come out on DVD and Blu-ray in February 2025, after a similar five-month gap.
Watch The Penguin Trailer
Several teasers and trailers have been released for The Penguin over the past few months. The most recent and complete trailer gives the clearest look at the dark and intense world of Gotham City.
In this trailer, fans get a close-up of Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin, and his power moves after the death of Carmine Falcone. The trailer has a strong gangster movie vibe, showing how Cobblepot aims to take control of Gotham’s crime world in his own twisted way.
This tone was highlighted in Chase Hutchinson’s review for Collider, where he wrote:
“Having been watching a lot of the spectacular series that is The Sopranos lately, there is something profoundly absurd about the way a show like The Penguin plays around with similar ideas and characters while still being what is often a silly supervillain origin story.
The longer one watches, the more difficult it becomes to overlook the way The Penguin almost seems to be riffing on familiar emotional beats — from a troubled son struggling with his mother as she grows older to the way the soul can become corrupted by violence.
This is not necessarily a problem, as many shows have thrived in the shadow of the David Chase classic, though they’ve never had a great Farrell grumbling his way through them. This darkly comedic yet still committed central performance makes the series into something that holds together even when the often less subtle story does not.
Namely, The Penguin loses its steam when it falls into overlong flashback portions and severs us a bit too much from the present, making it an experience of waiting for the series to jump forward again. Its good parts are good, largely because Farrell is fantastic as the chaotic character yet again.”
Episode Schedule for The Penguin
If you want to plan for the release of The Penguin, here is the current schedule for the series based on what is known so far.
- Episode 1: Thursday, September 19, 2024
- Episode 2: Sunday, September 29, 2024
- Episode 3: Sunday, October 6, 2024
- Episode 4: Sunday, October 13, 2024
- Episode 5: Sunday, October 20, 2024
- Episode 6: Sunday, October 27, 2024
- Episode 7: Sunday, November 3, 2024
- Episode 8: Sunday, November 10, 2024
