Summary
- HBO submitted The Penguin to the limited series category at the Emmys, casting doubt on a second season.
- The showrunners have expressed interest in possibly revisiting the characters for a future season.
- Fans may have to wait until after The Batman Part 2 for a potential season 2 of The Penguin.
The Penguin was a huge success with fans and critics when it aired on Max last year, and this inevitably led to a string of awards nominations. The Emmys might be the latest prestigious event to honor the Batman spin-off series, but fans are worried the category HBO has submitted it to could mean a second season might not happen.
HBO has submitted The Penguin into the limited series category, as opposed to the continuing series, and this doesn't bode well for the future of the series. It was always envisioned as a limited series, and HBO would surely be more than happy to see it return.
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The Penguin's Emmy Category Suggests It Might Be Unlikely To Get Another Season
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The Penguin |
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Cast |
Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Theo Rossi, David H. Holmes, Myles Humphus and Hunter Emery, Rhenzy Feliz, Deirdre O'Connell, Clancy Brown, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Zegen, Michael Kelly and Mark Strong |
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Created By |
Lauren LeFranc |
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Directed By |
Craig Zobel |
The Penguin's submission in the Outstanding Limited Series category at the upcoming Emmys feels like it could be the final nail in the coffin for the Colin Farrell-led DC Comics adaptation. Despite the tendency to expand superhero universes, this particular iteration of the popular villain was envisioned as a one-season narrative, and that doesn't appear to have changed. Colin Farrell originally played Oswald Cobb in Matt Reeves' The Batman and his performance was well-received and led to a spin-off series, which drew comparisons to HBO's iconic gangster series, The Sopranos. It has been lauded by critics as one of the best new shows of 2024, and now it looks set to receive multiple Emmy nominations.
Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti have been put forward for consideration by HBO in the leading actor and actress categories, alongside Rhenzy Feliz for Best Supporting Actor, Deirdre O’ Connell for Best Supporting Actress and Lauren LeFranc as showrunner. Farrell has already won the best leading actor Golden Globe for his performance, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he scooped up the Emmy as well. If The Penguin was only a one-season show, it really did stick the landing, but fans still want more. Either way, fans haven't seen the last of the Penguin, as Farrell will reprise the iconic role in Matt Reeves' The Batman Part 2, which has now been delayed to 2027.
The Limited Series Category Could Be A Tactical Decision And The Penguin Season 2 Might Still Happen
The Penguin's categorization in the limited series section of the Emmys doesn't necessarily mean it won't get a second season, but it does indicate HBO doesn't have any immediate plans to proceed with it. HBO put Big Little Lies into the limited series category, but it ended up returning for another season two years after its first run. It initially looked like the second season might be the final one, but the Nicole Kidman-led drama will be back for a third season in 2026, nearly a decade after the original limited series aired. This gives fans hope that a similar thing could happen with The Penguin. In an interview with Deadline, Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group said:
The Penguin is one of those things where — and it’s interesting, because when you talk with everyone involved, everyone is interested in possibly revisiting those characters and doing more — it was very much designed as a limited series. But I would never say never.
This strongly suggests that The Penguin might come back one day, with the creative team very interested in exploring the world in more depth. With The Batman Part 2 coming out in 2027, it might be a good opportunity to set up a sophomore season of The Penguin within that story. This could mean any prospective future season of The Penguin might land in 2028, four years after the initial limited series.
The Penguin Season 2 Could Only Come Out After The Batman Part 2
Fans of The Penguin might be forced into waiting a little longer for a potential second season.