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By Michileen Martin
Contributing Entertainment Writer
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With as much critical acclaim as a TV show could hope for and strong streaming numbers, you would think that "The Penguin" - the TV spinoff of 2022's "The Batman" - would be a shoo-in for a second season. Unfortunately, according to DC Studios co-head Peter Safran, the eight episodes that streamed on Max last year may be all we get.
Read More: 'Batman' Standalone Spinoff Horror Film 'Clayface' Sets Director
Safran didn't say exactly why there was no solid word on a season 2 for "The Penguin", though he implied one major factor is Colin Farrell's willingness to return to the role considering the physical challenges: "We don't know. There are a lot of moving pieces, probably most importantly Colin himself. And 800 pounds of makeup."
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This shouldn't be too surprising. Farrell is utterly unrecognizable in his makeup for "The Penguin", and has described the process of applying it as "almost like you're each morning going in to do a non-life saving surgery, like a heart surgery or something."
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If Farrell's willingness to return for a second season of "The Penguin" is the biggest roadblock in continuing the series, it begs the question of whether or not Farrell would be willing to endure the makeup process to reprise his role for "The Batman 2". Presumably returning to the makeup chair for a film wouldn't be as taxing as it would be for an entire TV season.
Farrell first donned the makeup for 2022's "The Batman." The first season of "The Penguin" takes place a few weeks after the film's events, with Gotham City recovering from the movie's climax.
Farrell's Oz, who despises his nickname "Penguin", decides to fill the power vacuum left by the death of his old boss, Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong). Along the way, he makes a fierce enemy of Carmine's daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti) while taking the young Vic (Rheny Feliz) under his wing.
The first season of "The Penguin" ends on a powerfully dark note, including Sofia Falcone's story having plenty of room to continue. There's no doubt that should HBO get a second season, the viewership would be there for it.
Whether we see a second season of "The Penguin," the HBO show won't be the last DC Studios project centered on one of Batman's villains. Horror master Mike Flanagan will be directing "Clayface" about the eponymous shape-shifting Gotham City bad guy. With the ability to change his form at will, Clayface is one of the few classic Batman rogues to actually display superpowers.
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