The Penguin: Colin Farrell "Couldn't Believe" How Dark Series Gets

The Penguin is set to arrive on Max at some point this fall, continuing the individual story arc of Oswald Cobblepott / Penguin (Colin Farrell) from The Batman. The live-action series has already debuted its first trailer, which has helped it become pretty highly-anticipated amongst DC fans. In a recent interview with HeyUGuys, Farrell further previewed what audiences can expect from The Penguin, teasing that even he got surprised by how dark the series' tone is. 

"Tons of violence, abject darkness and a man and a great struggle to try and claw his way to the top," Farrell revealed. "You know, there's a power grab in Gotham now. It's dark, man. Lauren LeFranc with her room of writers wrote eight extraordinary episodes. I mean, just really, really bold stuff. I couldn't believe that it got as dark as it gets... It would be a Hard R [rating]."

What Is The Penguin About?

While plot details surrounding The Penguin are currently under wraps, it is expected to take place in the aftermath of the events of The Batman.

"We are thrilled to bring audiences a new version of this iconic DC character that they have never seen before," Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max, said in a statement when the show was announced. "It is incredible to be working with Matt, Dylan and Lauren on continuing this story and to see Colin take his already exceptional performance in 'The Batman' to the next level."

"Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in 'The Batman,' and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill," The Batman director Matt Reeves echoed. "Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz's story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham."

"I have long been a fan of the world of 'The Batman,' and Matt's film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot? I am thrilled to work with Colin, Matt, Dylan, 6th & Idaho, Warners, and HBO Max as we work to bring this story to the screen," said showrunner Lauren LeFranc.

Who Is in the Cast of The Penguin?

The cast of The Penguin includes and Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, as well as Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Deirdre O'Connell.

"The only thing I had an idea was that I wasn't nearly getting to explore the character as much as I wanted to," Farrell explained in a recent interview with Variety. "Because there was all this extraordinary work done by [makeup artists] Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine and his team, and I just thought it was the tip of the iceberg, pardon the pun, that we were getting to do the six or seven scenes that we did in the film. I was grateful for them, but I wanted more."

Are you excited for The Batman's The Penguin spinoff? What do you think of Colin Farrell's newest quotes about the show? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The Penguin will debut exclusively on Max in the fall of 2024.