The Penguin has been nominated alongside the Netflix series Baby Reindeer, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and Ripley, Apple TV+’s Disclaimer, and fellow HBO/Max series, True Detective: Night Country. Additionally, The Penguin stars Cristin Milioti (Sofia Gigante) and Colin Farrell (Oz Cobb) received nominations for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television and Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television, respectively. The Penguin is the first installment in The Batman Epic Crime Saga and the first DC Studios production to receive Golden Globe Awards nominations.
Set one week after the events of 2022’s The Batman, The Penguin follows Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb as he attempts to take control of Gotham’s criminal underworld. The eight-episode HBO limited series is the second entry in Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga, serving as a bridge between The Batman (2022) and its upcoming sequel, The Batman Part II, which is scheduled to hit theaters in 2026.
The Penguin received near-unanimous acclaim from critics, with the HBO limited series certified fresh on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes at 95 percent. The series was also a ratings success, with The Penguin topping viewership and streaming charts throughout its 8-week run. However, despite this success, a second season of The Penguin has not yet been considered by HBO and DC, with showrunner Lauren LeFranc stating in November 2024 that another season will only happen if they “feel like we can top ourselves.” She explained, “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.
What’s Next for The Batman Epic Crime Saga?
Even if The Penguin received a Season 2 renewal, it is unlikely that the program would return before The Batman Part II was released in theaters. Reeves and Mattson Tomlin are currently writing the screenplay for the sequel, which will once again star Robert Pattinson as the titular Caped Crusader. Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, and Farrell are also set to reprise their respective roles as James Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and Oz Cobb/Penguin in The Batman Part II.
At this time, plot details are under wraps for The Batman Part II, with it unclear who will be the main antagonist of the sequel, with everyone from Two-Face and Clayface to Hush and the Court of Owls having been rumored. The only villain confirmed is Farrell’s Oz Cobb/Penguin, who will once again appear as a secondary antagonist, similar to the role he served in The Batman. Fans will likely learn more about The Batman Part II ahead of its April 2025 production start date.
The 82nd Golden Globe Awards will air on Jan. 5, 2025, with Nikki Glaser set as host.
