“The Penguin” is heading back into production.
The Max-DC series, which stars Colin Farrell in a spinoff of the film “The Batman,” is set to return to shooting now that the SAG-AFTRA strike has been settled. Production on the series will resume the week after Thanksgiving, Variety has learned. It originally began in March 2023 but was suspended in June during the writers’ strike and subsequent actors’ strike in Hollywood.
Farrell will reprise the role of Oswald “The Penguin” Cobblepot in the series after delivering a critically-acclaimed turn as the iconic character in the hit film.
The show will pick up in the immediate aftermath of the conclusion of “The Batman” and will chart Cobblepot’s rise to power in the Gotham underworld to become one of Batman’s most feared villains. On the live-action side, The Penguin has previously been played by actors like Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito, and Robin Lord Taylor.
Along with Farrell, the cast includes Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, Theo Rossi, and David H. Holmes.
“The Penguin” will consist of eight episodes. Lauren LeFranc is the writer, executive producer, and showrunner. “The Batman” director Matt Reeves executive produces via 6th & Idaho, while Dylan Clark executive produces via Dylan Clark Productions. Farrell executive produces in addition to starring. Craig Zobel is executive producing and directing the first three episodes. 6th & Idaho’s Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer, as does Bill Carraro, with Rafi Crohn co-executive producing.
Warner Bros. Television is the studio. 6th & Idaho is currently under an overall deal at WBTV. The series is based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
