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Actress Brenda Song and actor Harvey Guillén announced this year’s Emmy Award nominations on Tuesday.

AppleTV+’s Severence dominated the list with 27 nods in total.

The HBO drama miniseries, The Penguin, earned 24 nominations, including one for Best Limited or Anthology Series and Best Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Apple TV+’s The Studio and HBO’s The White Lotus were each nominated for 23 Emmys.

The Studio was nominated for Best Comedy Series. The show’s lead actor, Seth Rogen, received a nod for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. Kathryn Hahn was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance on the show.

Actor Jason Isaacs received a Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nomination for his performance in The White Lotus, which also received an award for Best Directing in a Drama Series.

Scott Glenn received a Best Guest...

The Penguin picked up an incredible 24 nominations at this year's Emmys, with lead star Colin Farrell receiving a nod for "Best Lead Limited or Anthology Series Actor."

The Irish actor was incredible in The Batman, but being given a little more space to breathe in his spin-off series meant Farrell could fully explore what makes Oz Cobb's twisted mind tick. We know he'll reprise the role in The Batman Part II, and it sounds like Part III is also on the table.

Asked by Variety if he could share anything about The Penguin season 2, Farrell replied, "There’s literally not. If there was, and I was told to lie to you, I’d probably have to lie to you. But genuinely, no. Because the show went well, of course, there’s been rumblings about, 'Would we do a second season? What would that look like?' There is absolutely nothing in process.

The Penguinstar Colin Farrell opens up about his early worries that the show would never happen.

Speaking to Variety, Farrell was asked if there was ever a time when he was worried that The Penguin wouldn't actually go through production. "Yeah, a couple, like the during the strike," Farrell replied. "And in a world where they can make a Batgirl film and then just can it. I don't understand it, the debits and credits and ledgers and, fucking, all that stuff, but they can decide that it's economically advantageous to just shelve a $90 million film that people have put so much effort into it. You better believe it."

"When we were in the middle of the strike, I remember saying to my sister, 'I don't know if we're gonna go back to this. I don’t know if we’re gonna finish it.' I did get nervous," Farrell continued.

Warner Bros. Television Group (Wbtvg) is riding high this awards season, topping all studios with an impressive 60 nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy® Awards, the Television Academy announced Tuesday morning.

Leading the charge is HBO’s The Penguin, a gritty limited series that racked up a formidable 24 nominations, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and acting nods for Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Deirdre O’Donnell. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc earned recognition for writing, while directors Jennifer Getzinger and Helen Shaver were also honored.

Wbtv’s The Pitt, streaming on HBO Max, secured 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. Stars Noah Wyle, Katherine Lanasa, and guest actor Shawn Hatosy each earned acting nods, with additional recognition for writing and directing.

On the comedy front, Shrinking (Apple TV+) nabbed seven nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and acting nods for Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Michael Urie, and Jessica Williams. ABC’s breakout hit Abbott Elementary,...

DC's The Penguin is on track to break a record at the Emmys with an impressive twenty-four nominations. Lauren LeFranc's The Penguin expanded Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise with a DC spinoff that also works perfectly as a standalone miniseries. The Penguin reached impressive viewership numbers and received raving reviews from audiences and critics, to the point that calls for a second season have opened the door for The Penguin season 2 possibly materializing in the future.

As reported by Deadline, The Penguin has received 24 Emmy nominations, which include Best Limited Series, Best Actorfor Collin Farrell, Best Actress for Christin Millioti, Best Directing for Helen Shaver ("Cent'anni") and Jennifer Getzinger ("A Great or Little Thing"), and Best Writing for The Penguin showrunner and writer Lauren LeFranc, specifically for the episode "A Great or Little Thing." Check out all of The Penguin's Emmy nominations below:

Limited Anthology Series: The PenguinBest Actor:...

On July 15, 2025, Emmy nominations were announced, highlighting the standout shows and performances of the year. HBO and Max led the pack with a record-breaking 142 nominations, including major nods for fan favorites like The Penguin (24 noms), The White Lotus (23 noms) and The Last of Us (16 noms). With those being such popular shows, it's no surprise that HBO/Max dominated the Emmy race.

Following the announcement, Variety got the opportunity to speak with HBO and Max content chief Casey Bloys, who shared his thoughts on the impressive achievement and the futures of some of the network’s most beloved series.

Cristin Milioti in The Penguin season 1 | Macall Polay/HBO

One particular series that he spoke on is The Penguin. When asked about the possibility of a second season, Bloys remained cautiously optimistic, explaining that while no official decision has been made, a new installment could definitely happen.

He further explained that there...

On Tuesday, HBO and HBO Max set a new personal best by scoring a staggering 142 Emmy nominations collectively. Much of that success was powered by The Penguin, the spin-off series to Matt Reeves's The Batman starring Colin Farrell as the titular Oz Cobb, which came away with the second-most nominations of any one show at 24. It's just the latest in a long line of honors for the crime drama after a critically acclaimed season following Oz's strategic maneuvering to take power within Gotham City. The question, since the finale aired back in November, has been whether the series would be back for another round despite its billing as a limited series. On that front, HBO and Max content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys was able to provide an update, though it doesn't sound like Season 2 could be coming anytime soon.

Following the news of HBO's Emmy nomination success, Variety...

Here’s to new beginnings for actor Cristin Milioti, who earned her first Emmy nomination Tuesday for her role as Sofia Falcone in HBO’s The Penguin.

Though the actor is no stranger to starring in TV shows including in Modern Love, Made for Love and Black Mirror, which have all earned nominations, she admitted to keeping her jitters at bay by “purposefully keeping” her phone at the bottom of her bag, unchecked, until the nominations reveal ended this morning.

In addition to Milioti’s recognition, The Penguin garnered 24 nominations including for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for Colin Farrell, Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Cinematography in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Directing in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Contemporary Hairstyling and Makeup, and Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup.

So, what exactly went through Milioti’s mind once it sunk in that she had scored her first Emmy nomination?...

It’s a good day to be Cristin Milioti. The actress snagged an Emmy nomination for her work opposite (fellow nominee) Colin Farrell on the HBO Max and DC series The Penguin, which snagged a total of 24 nominations across a wide variety of creative categories. (See the full list of nominations here.) Milioti also is a part of the Black Mirror family, and the Netflix limited series received 10 nominations this morning. Hot on the heels of the reveal, Milioti got on the phone with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss her first Emmy nomination, why she’s been on so many planes as of late and how playing the inimitable force that is Sofia Falcone has influenced what’s next.

How are you feeling?

I feel really good, it’s so nice. I feel so thrilled for our show. You never know how these things are going to go, and I...

The nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards are finally out, and it’s shaping up to be one of the toughest races in recent years. According to DiscussingFilm, shows like The Bear, Severance, The White Lotus, and The Pitt are grabbing the most attention after scoring multiple nominations across major categories. This year’s Emmys will happen on September 14, 2025, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. You can catch it on CBS and Paramount+.

In the drama world, it’s a huge year for HBO’s The White Lotus, which picked up nominations in almost every acting category. Big names like Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell are all in the supporting actor race thanks to the show. Even supporting actresses like Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, and Natasha Rothwell are on the list. With Mike White once again nominated for directing and writing, The White Lotus could easily win big.

The nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards are finally here, and fans of shows like Severance, The Bear, and The White Lotus have a lot to celebrate. According to DiscussingFilm, these hit series are leading the pack in many categories as the 77th Emmys get closer.

This year’s awards will take place on September 14, 2025, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, airing on CBS and Paramount+.

This year’s Emmy race is especially tight, thanks to a huge lineup of popular shows from the 2024-2025 TV season. Shows like Andor, The Pitt, and Squid Game are all in the running in drama categories. But new shows like The Studio and Nobody Wants This could shake up the comedy competition, where The Bear and Hacks have ruled for years.

In the drama series category, fans will see big names fighting for the top spot. Severance, The Last of Us, The White Lotus,...

Television Academy viewers didn’t treat The Penguin like some waddling bafoonish, cartoon villain, rather as a high-end prestige series. The DC Studios HBO show swam toward 24 Primetime Emmy nominations this morning, which is arguably the second best for a comic-book series and the second best for a DC series after HBO’s 2019 series Watchmen, which owned 26 Emmy noms and is still cited by the Guiness Book of World Records as the most successful comic book series in Emmy history with 11 wins.

The Penguin‘s 24 noms also outpeg the 23 noms earned by Disney+/Marvel Studios’ Wandavision back in 2021.

Penguin‘s success this Am comes in the wake of the new DC Studios’ under Peter Safran and James Gunn launching their first big movie over the weekend, Gunn’s Superman to $220M+ worldwide. On the horizon for DC Studios’ the second season of The Peacemaker which is getting a blast off...

The Penguin is waddling its way all the way to the Emmys. The HBO limited series racked up 24 Emmy nominations on Tuesday, including Best Limited Series and Best Movie/Limited Actor for Colin Farrell.

Here are the categories The Batman spin-off landed in — and the ones it missed.

Best Limited Series: Nominated

Throughout the winter awards circuit, The Penguin faced tough competition from Netflix's breakout hit Baby Reindeer, which swept the top prizes at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards after winning last year’s Emmy for Best Limited Series. However, the 2025 Emmys race has a fresh new batch of competitors. The Penguin is up against a trio of Netflix entries — Adolescence, Black Mirror, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story — as well as FX's Dying for Sex.

Best Limited/Movie Actor: Nominated

Colin Farrell continues his quest for an awards grand slam — having already claimed the Golden Globe,...

It's a good day to be DC Studios and HBO. The nominations for the 2025 Emmys have just been unveiled, with The Penguin receiving the second most this year behind Apple TV+'s Severance.

Following a strong showing at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Astra TV Awards, the second installment in Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga has managed to continue its awards success, receiving a whopping combined 24 nominations at the upcoming 77th Primetime Emmy Awards and Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The Penguin's biggest nomination was in the Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series category, where it will compete against Adolescence, Black Mirror, Dying for Sex, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

The Penguin also picked up three acting nominations. Colin Farrell was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance as Oswald "Oz" Cobb/The Penguin, with...

Who will have the write stuff at the Emmys? When it comes to Best Limited Series/Movie Writing, it becomes a bit of a numbers game.

With 71 submissions, this year's Best Limited Series/Movie Writing category will have just five finalists when the nominations are announced Tuesday. This is only the second time since the expansion to the popular vote that this category will result in five nominees; the first since 2020. Last year, for example, there were six nominees, with Baby Reindeer ultimately prevailing.

In the limited-series race, there are several shows with writers who scripted all their episodes and thus must enter their entire series: Adolescence by Jack Thorne and star Stephen Graham, Disclaimer by Alfonso Cuarón, and Dope Thief by Peter Craig. With Adolescence being the front-runner to win Best Limited since its premiere, the Netflix psychological crime drama is a lock for a writing bid. The other two,...

A old scene that was cut from The Batman is making people look at Penguin’s rise to power in a new way. The clip shows an early moment between Selina Kyle (played by Zoë Kravitz) and Oswald Cobblepot, also known as Penguin, played by Colin Farrell. It was filmed for the 2022 movie but never made it into the final cut.

In the scene, Selina asks to work in the secret club beneath the Iceberg Lounge — a hidden spot where Gotham’s worst criminals hang out. Oz tries to pay her off instead, but she refuses. That’s when he makes a bold statement. “I know you don’t see it yet, honey. But Falcone ain’t gonna be around forever. One day this city is going to be mine.”

That one line feels a lot more powerful now, especially after how things played out in The Penguin series on Max.

Colin Farrell’s incredible performance in The Batman landed him his solo series, The Penguin. Despite being defined by moral murkiness and brutal violence, the show has still managed to shock its audience with scenes such as the now-infamous sewer scene from Episode 7, Top Hat.

It features a brief flashback into Oz’s past, where he locks his two brothers in a tunnel during a rainstorm, leaving them to drown. It has become a chilling early glimpse into Oswald’s twisted psychology. However, despite its bleakness and apparent cruelty, Farrell continues to defend the moment as essential to understanding the character.

Colin Farrell defends The Penguin’s darkest scene: “I don’t think he knew the water was going to rise.”

The Penguin Episode 7 takes viewers into Oz’s formative days with his brothers, Jack and Benny, and his mother, Francis. It doesn’t take long to realize that Oz...

Colin Farrell wanted to see how convincing his physical transformation was to play Oswald “Oz” Cobb for “The Penguin,” so he went out in public – to Starbucks.

“We went to a Starbucks when we did the first make-up test,” Farrell recently revealed at a FYC event for the HBO limited series. The actor is unrecognizable under prosthetics that pockmark his skin and completely change the shape of his chin and nose, along with a padded suit. He also put in his order using his character’s thick New York accent and walked with his signature limp.

“Nothing happened,” Farrell revealed. “I don’t know, I thought people might stare a bit more. We’re a bunch of starers.”

The actor adds that the first time he saw himself in the full makeup by prosthetics designer Mike Marino for the movie “The Batman,” he couldn’t stop staring. “You ever seen...

Following a critically acclaimed first season that earned it recognition as one of the best HBO original shows in recent memory, The Penguin has a high bar to reach should a second season get greenlit. However, as The Batman spinoff's future hangs in the balance, its top star admits it will be "more difficult" for the crime drama to replicate its initial success, considering one significant development.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Farrell explained why The Penguin Season 2 would be a struggle to pull off following the major character death that occurred in the Season 1 finale. In the final episode of the first season, Farrell's Oz Cobb/Penguin kills his devoted right-hand man, Vic (Rhenzy Feliz), feeling it was a necessary evil due to Vic's most vulnerable traits giving his enemies an advantage, potentially thwarting his rise to prominence as Gotham's underground king. According to Farrell, it would be...

Colin Farrell found a novel way to test-drive the makeup devised for his portrayal of the sociopathic mobster Oz Cobb: He went to Starbucks in the elaborate regalia he’d ultimately disappear into to play The Penguin’s fowl felon.

"We went to a Starbucks when we did the first makeup test," Farrell revealed during an FYC panel for the HBO series, which spun off from the film The Batman, in which he initially played the role, clocking the coffee shop to gauge the reactions of his fellow customers to his foreboding, scar-pocked façade. "But nothing happened!" the actor confessed, adding that he also used the character's distinctive voice and shambling limp on the foray. "We're a bunch of starers — human beings stare if they see something different. But they just stared at their phones."

Still, moving about unnoticed in public was a victory in and of itself given the...

Whatta night! Producers and showrunners from “The Last of Us,” “Severance,” “Paradise,” “The Pitt,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Hacks,” “Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story,” “The Penguin” and more shows swapped stories at Variety’s A Night in the Writers’ Room event on June 5 at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills.

For the first time, we collected the audio from the evening’s three panels devoted to drama, comedy and limited series, and included them as a bonus edition of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. Listen below!

Congrats to associate publisher Donna Pennestri and her team for organizing a great event, which boasted three lively panels as moderated by Emily Longeretta, Jazz Tangcay and Michael Schneider.

This past year has presented us with an ever-changing landscape in our industry. Writers are pushing boundaries, telling diverse stories, and exploring new formats that captivate viewers in ways we could only dream of a decade ago.

“Dying for Sex” co-creators, executive producers and writers Elizabeth Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock knew that establishing the tone of the show was always going to be hard.

The limited series starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate is based on the true story of Molly Kochan, a young woman who is diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Together with her best friend Nikki Boyer, the two start a podcast about her journey.

Molly, played by Williams in the show, doesn’t plan on having a sexual awakening, but she does. And as she battles her illness, she explores her sexual desires and fetishes, empowering herself. Speaking during Variety‘s A Night in the Writers’ Room Limited Series panel, Meriweather said, “We decided to focus on the humanity of the characters and really not try to think about genre that much.”

While the earlier episodes were structured around a comedic tone, Meriweather explained...

As with 1992’s Batman Returns, 2022’s The Batman earned an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup, more or less thanks to the work done on The Penguin. And while both would lose, the designs put forth on both Danny DeVito and Colin Farrell were instantly iconic. And Farrell himself knows this, crediting it with much of the success of the show, adding that AI could never replace human work.

Speaking at this year’s IndieWire Honors, Farrell credited a number of people for the success of The Penguin but much of his commitment came down to the makeup, particularly citing artist Mike Marino. “Matt Reeves wrote the film ‘The Batman,’ and I was lucky enough to get the role of The Penguin in that. Then, Lauren LeFranc wrote this show, but it was only when I saw Mike’s design of the visage of Oz Cobb that I couldn’t leave it.

It’s not every day you get to bring your vigilante artistry to Gotham City. That joyous privilege and the power of practical effects was top of mind for “The Penguin” star Colin Farrell and makeup designer Mike Marino, accepting the 2025 IndieWire Honors Wavelength award for their striking partnership in HBO’s gritty superhero spinoff.

“We were two big kids in a really vast sandbox,” said Farrell at the Los Angeles event on June 5. “Both of us grew up watching genre films. I grew up watching Danny DeVito. Well, I know I haven’t fully grown up. I think we’ve established that. And we go to go to work every day and play in the sandbox. It was such a joy [and] nightmare Mike Marino’s canvas.”

“It means a lot to be recognized for something that was done entirely by human hands,” said Marino. “Just clay, glue, rubber, inspiration,...

A frigid environment is befitting of a television show titled The Penguin, but the chilly conditions of its set had no bearing on the story being told. It was simply the manner in which series lead Colin Farrell preserved the three hours’ worth of prosthetic makeup needed to transform him into Oswald “The Penguin” Cobb.

“I was totally encased as Oz, and it was incredibly hot underneath all the prosthetics,” recalls Farrell.

Between the 2 pounds of silicone rubber fastened to his head and a 30-pound bodysuit, the Irish actor was constantly overheating while playing his ambitious Gotham City gangster. There was even a stretch in the winter of 2023 where the eight-episode HBO series’ New York City-area soundstage had the air conditioning cranked full blast, prompting the crew to don winter attire indoors. Eventually, the team set up a camping tent nicknamed “the Igloo” for Farrell to cool off in between setups and takes.

Two fan-favorite DC actors are about to go on a time-bending journey together. The first trailer for A Big Bold Beautiful Journey has been released, showing Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell reliving their past to possibly change their respective futures.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey asks the question, "What if you could open a doorway and walk through it to re-live a defining moment from your past?" The trailer introduces prospective audiences to Robbie's Sarah and Farrell's David, two single strangers who meet at a mutual friend's wedding and share a moment. They are later reconnected through David's magical Gps and the two embark on a road trip that leads them to a big red door in the middle of a grove. After stepping through the door, the two are transported back in time. As more doors appear, the two get to "re-live important moments from their respective pasts,...

Colin Farrell did an excellent job playing The Penguinin the HBO crime drama series of the same name. However, the actor recently avoided answering a question about a dark aspect of the story.

During an appearance on Variety Actors on Actors with Danny DeVito, Farrell seemed uncomfortable when DeVito stated that his Penguin from Batman Returns didn't have any brothers. "I'd rather not talk about [it]," he said. "It's a touchy point... That's a touchy point in the story accused of terrible things I didn't... had no part in at all" the actor added.

In HBO's The Penguin, a follow-up to Matt Reeves' The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, a young version of Farrell's titular villain is seen playing in the underground trolley system beneath Gotham City. When his brothers taunt him by hiding in an overflow tunnel that the young Oswald cannot reach, he takes out his frustrations by locking them inside.

Given DC’s longstanding exploits of Joker on the silver screen, The Batman felt like a breath of fresh air, as not only was it a director-driven tale from a fan of the source material, it also made room for other notable rogues to shine. While the Riddler was given the fair share of the pie, one of the major highlights, barring Pattinson’s caped crusader, was Colin Farrell’s Penguin.

But like the Joker’s silver screen history, his portrayal of Oz begs the question of how it compares to Danny DeVito’s version from the ’90s classic.

How does Colin Farrell’s grounded take compare to Danny DeVito’s theatrics? Colin Farrell’s Oz | Credit: Max

For decades, Danny DeVito carried the mantle of the best live-action Penguin despite the creative departure from the comics. Unlike Joker, post Batman Returns, the character was hardly tackled on the silver screen,...

Danny DeVito remembered shooting Batman Returns with “goddess” Michelle Pfeiffer while speaking with Colin Farrell for Variety. The actor played Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin, opposite Pfeiffer’s Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) in Tim Burton’s 1992 film.

In the interview, DeVito and Farrell compared their experiences portraying the comic book villain. “I had Michelle Pfeiffer,” DeVito said of who played Catwoman in the movie. “I’m not comparing anything, but I’m just saying, she was a goddess. If I knew she was going to be...

Colin Farrell’s 2008 dark comedy thriller In Bruges marked the feature-length debut for its writer/director Martin McDonagh, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as Irish hitmen hiding in Bruges, Belgium. Ralph Fiennes is featured as the duo’s boss. Along with its Oscar nod, In Bruges is “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with an 84% critic score.

Most recently, Farrell starred as the titular Penguin/Oswald “Oz” Cobb in HBO’s The Penguin,a role that nabbed him a Golden Globe in 2025. Farrell, who reprised his Penguin role from 2022’s The Batman, joined a long list of actors who have played the villain. One of which is Danny DeVito, who portrayed Penguin in 1992’s Batman Returns.Both DeVito and Farrell sat down for a new interview with Variety, and the subject of both In Bruges and The Penguin was brought up by DeVito.

Undoubtedly, creator Dan Erickson's "Severance" was able to capture audiences quickly when the show premiered in 2022 because of its sprawling mystery. First and foremost, the series' premise and plot presented a thrilling and virtually indecipherable enigma that was, at the least, matching the sensation that "Lost" created almost two decades before it. But just like in J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof's classic, we also fell in love with the show because it gave us intriguing, funny, and relatable characters to watch and root for week by week. As much as it was addictive to speculate what Lumon's purpose and ultimate evil plan were, it's also been crucial that we could do that alongside likable and charming characters we inevitably grew close to in the debut season and its follow-up.

Zach Cherry's Dylan, the loudmouth employee of the Macrodata Refinement department, is very much a pivotal member of...

While the hype right now is around James Gunn’s Superman, there are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the status of Batman – we’re talking the sequel to The Batman, a possible follow-up season to The Penguin, and even other villain spin-offs. So let’s see if showrunner Lauren LeFranc can clear some of that thick Gotham fog.

Appearing on Deadline’s Crew Call podcast, LeFranc – who serves as showrunner for The Penguin (she also wrote the premiere and finale episodes of season one) – teased that there could be more to come in that universe, although that will depend on a certain someone. “Beyond Colin, it depends on whether there’s a story that we can make richer than what we’ve already done…I’m in the process of exploring what that would be, if there will be more.” She would confirm that, story-wise, “I fully arced everything,...

Who knew The Penguin owes a debt of gratitude to Popeye Doyle?

As production designer Kalina Ivanov tells Gold Derby, Matt Reeves, the director of 2022's The Batman and an executive producer on The Penguin, informed her that the "inspiration" for his vision of Gotham City was The French Connection, William Friedkin's 1971 neo-noir crime thriller starring Gene Hackman as the unorthodox cop Doyle, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture. "That is something I held very dear in my heart," Ivanov says, "because I really wanted to make a new version of The French Connection." See exclusive sketches, concept art, and set photos from The Penguin in our gallery above.

Colin Farrell reprises his villainous role of Oswald "Oz" Cobb/the Penguin in the HBO limited series, after having a supporting role in The Batman. Following the events of that motion picture, The Penguin chronicles the character's rise to power in Gotham's criminal underworld,...

HBO's The Penguinmight be getting a second season after all, along with what could be another The Batman spinoff series.

Speaking to Deadline, The Penguin executive producer and showrunner Lauren LeFranc responded to questions of a potential second season of the hit The Batman spinoff, saying that "Beyond Colin [Farrell], it depends on whether there's a story that we can make richer than what we've already done." LeFranc went on to promise that she "fully arced everything" in regards to The Penguin, and that she is currently "in the process of exploring what that would be, if there will be more" in terms of a Season 2.

The Penguin saw Colin Farrell reprise his role of Oswald "Oz" Cobb, aka the Penguin, from Matt Reeves' fan-favorite 2022 The Batman feature film starring Robert Pattinson. The series premiered in 2024, and immediately found a strong foothold with a fervent fan base. The Penguin features...

The Penguin proved to be a big hit for HBO and Warner Bros./DC Studios, and was met with rare levels of acclaim and awards recognition for a comic book-based project. With this in mind, a second season would seem like a foregone conclusion, but The Penguin happens to find itself in an unusual position.

Now officially listed as a limited series, The Penguin serves as a set-up for Matt Reeves' The Batman sequel, which we haven't had any official updates on in quite a while. Reports indicate that the movie's script hasn't even been completed yet, which likely hinders any potential movement on The Penguin season 2.

There's also the question of whether star Colin Farrell will even want to return as Oz Cobb. Though the actor is expected to appear in The Batman sequel, he didn't sound too overjoyed at the prospect of donning the prosthetics again during a 2024 interview.

HBO's The Penguin set a new standard for comic book TV adaptations when it was released in late 2024. The series brought back Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb from Matt Reeves' The Batman, giving him his own The Sopranos-esque series detailing his rise through the ranks of Gotham City's criminal underworld. The moment the credits rolled on the shocking finale, all eyes were on showrunner Lauren LeFranc as to whether a second season would be greenlit. The Penguin was originally conceived as a Limited Series, but LeFranc has teased that a second season is always a possibility.

Lauren LeFranc recently sat down on Deadline's Crew Call podcast, and the showrunner teased fans with her hopes for the show's future, as well as more spin-offs from Matt Reeves' The Batman trilogy. "I fully arced everything," LeFranc said of sticking to her plan of keeping The Penguin as a Limited Series. While...

Production designer Kalina Ivanov was excited to work on The Penguin because of her love for The French Connection.

Matt Reeves, the director of 2022's The Batman and an executive producer on The Penguin, informed Ivanov that the "inspiration" for his vision of Gotham City was The French Connection, the 1971 neo-noir film that won five Oscars including Best Picture. "That is something I held very dear in my heart," Ivanov tells Gold Derby, "because I really wanted to make a new version of The French Connection." See exclusive sketches, concept art, and set photos from The Penguin in our gallery below.

Colin Farrell reprises his villainous role of Oswald "Oz" Cobb / The Penguin in the HBO limited series, after having a supporting role in The Batman. Following the events of that motion picture, The Penguin chronicles the character's rise to power in Gotham's criminal underworld, which was filmed in and around New York City.

It could be argued that HBO put gangsters out of business, or at least we thought they did.

Wait, what the hell do we mean by that? The Sopranos was so definitive, it rose above and reimagined the great movies that came before it, i.e. The Godfather and Goodfellas.

Max

Then along comes HBO Max and DC’s The Penguin. Yes, it’s about Colin Farrell getting lost in the tubby suit. However, we knew that from Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Yet, it’s Cristin Milioti’s tragic-yet-acerbic Mafia donna, Sofia Falcone, who steals the show. She’s the type who’d have no problem putting several bullets into Sonny Corleone, that is if they lived in the same universe.

On today’s Crew Call, we speak with The Penguin EP and showrunner, Lauren LeFranc who reveals how she zigged from the gangster genre’s zag.

“I never wrote a crime drama before,...

Editor’s note: Deadline’s It Starts on the Page (Limited) features 10 standout limited or anthology series scripts in 2025 Emmy contention.

The Penguin developer-showrunner Lauren LeFranc delivered two gut punches in the finale of the HBO limited series based on the DC Comics character Oz Cobb aka The Penguin. After establishing that Oz (Colin Farrell) had finally found a trusted partner in Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), LeFranc did the unthinkable and had the Penguin strangle his young charge to death. Oz then managed to get his nemesis Sofia (Cristin Milioti) committed back to Arkham in the episode, titled “A Great or Little Thing,” written by LeFranc and directed by Jennifer Getzinger.

In her intro to the finale script, LeFranc explains how she had planned these two shockers before she sat down to write the first episode and how one of them was among the two scenes in the closer that proved most difficult to write.

Leading writers of the top shows on television — from “Hacks” to “Severance” to “The Pitt” — gathered to share insights into their craft, discuss challenges and reveal how they learned from their casts to drop their egos at TheWrap’s inaugural Showrunners and Creators of Emmy Season Breakfast, an invite-only event at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on Wednesday.

Held in conjunction with the company’s launch of its first annual Showrunners and Creators List celebrating 30 of today’s top TV creatives, the event’s centerpiece was a panel discussion with 18 showrunners in attendance as each reflected on early career missteps and successes, what’s next for their acclaimed, Emmys-contending work and what it’s like to attract some of the most in-demand Hollywood talent — from Colin Farrell on “The Penguin” to Sterling K. Brown on “Paradise” to Kathy Bates on “Matlock” — to bring their words to life.

Led by moderator Steve Pond,...

TV’s most in-demand entertainers came out Wednesday to celebrate TheWrap’s inaugural Showrunners and Creators of Emmy Season Breakfast — an exclusive, invite-only event held at The Maybourne Beverly Hills.

Held in conjunction with the company’s launch of its first annual Showrunners and Creators List celebrating 30 of today’s top TV creatives, the event’s centerpiece was a panel discussion with 18 showrunners in attendance discussing career highs and lows — and their latest, Emmys-contending successes — with TheWrap’s Executive Editor, Awards, Steve Pond.

In all, participating panelists included: Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs; Neil Druckmann; Dan Erickson; Dan Fogelman; R. Scott Gemmill; Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchman; Jennie Snyder Urman; Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer; Lauren LeFranc; Meg Marinis; Paul William Davies; and Patrick Schumacker and Justin Halpern.

Other notable guests joining TheWrap staff and more industry players for the first-of-its-kind event were “Matlock” stars Kathy Bates,...

The Penguin is entering the Emmy Awards as a limited series leaving fans wondering if a second season will ever happen. Would HBO submit a show for consideration in the limited series category if it's getting a season 2? Well, reassuringly, it has before.

A limited series entry doesn’t always mean a one-season wonder. Remember The White Lotus started as a limited series before its popularity led to further seasons, and Shogun was commissioned for a sophomore season after its success. Big Little Lies, also, won the Outstanding Limited Series Emmy Award and then had a second season (although perhaps it shouldn't have).

Colin Farrell will vie for Best Actor for playing Oswald “Oz’ Cobb while Cristin Milioti will enter the Best Actress category for her role as Sofia Falcone. Rhenzy Feliz, who played Oz’s right-hand man Victor, will enter the Supporting Actor category, while Deirdre O’Connell, who played Oz’s mom Francis,...

Fans of The Penguin have spent the past few months wondering if a second season of the show is happening and it appears that Warner Bros. has given its most definitive confirmation that is isn't.

The DC TV show was one of the biggest success stories of 2024. The Colin Farrell-led series is a spinoff of Matt Reeves' The Batman, designed to bridge the gap between the 2022 film and its upcoming sequel, but it quickly became a formidable entity of its own. The show earned critical acclaim while also proving itself to be a strong performer for HBO and the Max streaming service, which led to the understandable questions about whether the show - once considered a miniseries - could evolve into a more linear TV series with multiple seasons.

Despite some initially promising responses from the cast and crew about the show's future, it appears that The Penguin season 2 won't happen after all.

HBO will submit four cast members from The Penguin for Emmy consideration, Gold Derby has confirmed.

Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb, aka the Penguin, is entering the Best Movie/Limited Series Actor category, as expected. Earlier this awards season, the Irish actor prevailed at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild Awards for playing the villainous DC Comics character. A victory at the Emmys would complete his sweep of top awards. A former Oscar nominee for The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), this would be his first career Emmy bid.

Cristin Milioti as Sofia Gigante (née Falcone) is being submitted for Best Movie/Limited Series Actress. She won the Critics Choice Award for this role, but lost at the Golden Globes to Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country) and at the SAG Awards to Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer). Milioti could receive her first two career Emmy noms this year,...

As the fate of The Penguin Season 2 hangs in the balance, it seems HBO just made a big decision that could indicate the future of the DC drama. The Batman spin-off was a resounding success for the network, pulling in nominations left and right the past few months (including a Golden Globe win under its belt). Despite HBO reportedly working on The Penguin Season 2, they will continue to campaign in the Limited Series category.

Per Deadline, HBO is planning on submitting The Penguin in the Outstanding Limited Series category at the Emmy Awards. As expected, Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti will be in the running for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, in the Limited Series categories. Supporting actors Rhenzy Feliz and Deirdre O’ Connell will also enter the Emmy race for their respective roles as Victor and Francis. Meanwhile, series creator Lauren LeFranc will be submitted for scripting the award-winning DC series.

Exclusive: HBO‘s limited series The Penguin has revealed its game plan for the upcoming Emmy race.

Colin Farrell will vie for Best Actor for playing Oswald “Oz’ Cobb while Cristin Milioti will enter the contest for Best Actress after her memorable turn as Sofia Falcone.

The limited series created by Lauren LeFranc will enter the Outstanding Limited Series category, while LeFranc will also compete in writing.

Two other actors from the limited series will enter the Emmy race, as well. Rhenzy Feliz, who played Oz’s devoted right hand Victor, will enter the Supporting Actor category, while Deirdre O’ Connell, who played Oz’s mom Francis, will go for Supporting Actress.

Craig Zobel, Helen Shaver, Kevin Bray and Jennifer Getzinger will vie for directing episodes 101 (“After Hours”), 104 (“Cent’anni”), 107 (“Top Hat”) and 108 (“A Great or Little Thing”), respectively.

Cindy Tolen and Suzanne Ryan will compete in casting. DPs Darran Tiernan,...

The Penguin aired on HBO in late 2024 and saw much success. Not only did it end up being critically acclaimed, but it also drew in strong viewership numbers and quickly became a standout entry in the expanding DC Universe. It was even nominated for three Golden Globes, with its lead star Colin Farrell ultimately taking home the award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film.

After its eight-episode first season run came to an end in November 2024, fans were eagerly awaiting news of a second season. However, most of us knew that the chances of the hit crime drama coming back were slim, given the series was billed as a miniseries. A miniseries typically means that the story is designed to be concluded within its limited episode count, without any long-term plans for continuation. In other words, a second installment wasn't part of the original vision.

However, the overwhelming response...

Back in 2022, audiences took a journey through the dark, twisted, and hopeless streets of a reimagined Gotham City. While there are always big expectations behind any project involving the Caped Crusader, few could've imagined just how much of a masterpiece Matt Reeves' The Batman would be. Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the character was simply spot on, the narrative was filled with many twists and turns impossible to predict, and The Riddler was a great antagonist, even when he's a very difficult villain to adapt on the big screen. To say anticipation was at an all-time high to see more of these characters would be an understatement. Thankfully, fans got exactly what they wanted.

The Penguin HBO miniseries picked things up right where the movie left off. Lauren LeFranc crafted a dark and violent project that perfectly shines the spotlight on Cristin Milioti's Sofia Falcone and Colin Farrell's Oswald Cobblepot.

DC fans have been clamoring for a follow-up after The Penguin wrapped up; the finale was open-ended, teasing Oz Cobb's rise to power and Sofia's comeback. A Warner Bros. TV executive weighs in on Season 2 prospects.

Here's hoping The Penguin cast's schedules line up: Warner Bros. TV CEO Channing Dungey said that's one of the show's Season 2 roadblocks. "I think if we can get the creative stars to line up in the right way, and the talent is available — because we certainly wouldn't want to do this without Colin [Farrell] and Cristin [Milioti] and that team — I would say it's definitely a possibility, but there's nothing in the works at the moment," he told Deadline. Dungey asserted that The Penguin was a self-contained one-off, even though the finale hinted otherwise.

Dungey said The Penguin Season 2 could happen; the fans evidently want that. "The Penguin is one of those things where — and it's interesting,...

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