The other night, Colin Farrell won a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of Oswald Cobb in The Penguin, which required him to sit in a chair having heavy makeup and prosthetics applied to him every day for three hours. The result was a spellbinding performance, and I don't think there are many people out there who would say he doesn't deserve this. In his acceptance speech, he thanked many people who aren't often acknowledged, including makeup artist Mike Marino and even Carolina, who worked in craft services. There were good vibes all around:
The Penguin was a big critical and commercial success for HBO when it aired towards the end of 2024. With the show now getting awards recognition, does that mean it's closer to getting a second season order?
Matt Reeves, who directed The Batman movie from which The Penguin has spun off, said back in December that "we’re talking to [showrunner] Lauren [LeFranc] about doing another season," but it didn't sound like anything was settled. LeFranc herself weighed in at the Golden Globes, talking to ScreenRant:
"We were meant to be a limited series, so I'm really proud of the first season and the story that we made. There's more stories to tell there, for sure, if we can find the right idea or the right characters. I'm not sure about that yet, but I'm really proud of the work that we've done."
So a month later, it sounds like things are still uncertain. Slow and steady is probably the right approach here, especially given that The Penguin is part of a wider cinematic universe kicked off by The Batman in 2022. The sequel to that movie (which will also feature Farrell as the Penguin) was recently pushed from 2026 to 2027, so we're not sure how that might affect a second season of The Penguin. It would be easy to pull the trigger on another season immediately, but if HBO did that just because the show was popular, they'd risk producing a second season that wasn't up to the standard of the first.
The Penguin star Cristin Milioti wants Sofia Falcole to be "even more of a loose cannon"
Still, the first season of The Penguin ended with lots of paths open, so I don't blame people for wanting more. What will happen with Oz now that he's getting into politics? What about Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), who clashed antlers with Oz throughout the season and ended it back in Arkham Asylum?
“Obviously I would want to see her get out of Arkham. That’s like number one," Milioti recently told IndieWire. "I don’t want her in there. So, I want to see her get out [of] there, and exact revenge. Maybe now she would be even more of a loose cannon, because before it was pretty focused on him [Penguin] and gaining power, but depending on what happens to her in there, it could be an even larger target. I would love to explore that.”
It's hard to imagine Sofia becoming even more of a loose canon than she already is, but I wouldn't put anything past her.
One more thing that could happen is that Lauren LeFranc could direct a movie set in this burgeoning Batman universe. Although again, right now that's just a possibility, not a certainty. "For me, it's just about making sure I can find a personal connection to that character and feel like I can do something unique and different with them," LeFranc said. "That's what I felt like I found with Oz, and then in that world, I was able to bring in Sofia and all these other characters. So, for me, it's always seeking something personal. And if I can latch onto that, I'd be honored to."
We'll wait for more news. For now, congratulations to Farrell on his Golden Globe win!
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