Batman doesn’t appear in The Penguin

The Batman director Matt Reeves has finally explained why the Caped Crusader doesn’t intervene during the events of The Penguin.

“This was a time of great turmoil in the city, it’s literally the week after what happened,” Reeves told Digital Spy. “Much of the city is in desperation, so police can’t get everywhere, there’s crime everywhere, it’s a very, very dangerous time.

“[Batman’s] out there trying to grapple with the aftermath of everything that happened, which to some degree he blames himself for,” he added.

The Batman saw Riddler flood Gotham City, and, though the movie ended with recovery efforts beginning, it’s clear the deluge was catastrophic. It makes sense, then, that Batman might’ve had his hands full – allowing Oz Cobb to rise to the top of the criminal underworld.

But, a cameo for Batman was considered. “Over the course of writing the season, we discussed many times whether or not there might be some cross-through that would feel earned,” Reeves has revealed. “We tried a few different ideas conceptually, nothing that was ever written ultimately, but nothing seemed to quite gel in a way that felt earned.”

One idea was having Batman meet Vic, Oz’s young right hand. “But even that ended up throwing things off too much,” Reeves explained.

The Batman 2 will hit theaters on October 2, 2026. In the meantime, you can see our The Penguin review for our spoiler-free verdict on the show, as well as our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows for everything else that’s in store.