Will Colin Farrell return for The Penguin season 2? Actor shares mixed feelings after gruelling role

The much-anticipated series, The Penguin, is set to premiere this week, continuing the narrative of Oz Cobb (played by Colin Farrell) following his memorable appearance in 2022's The Batman.

The blockbuster film, which starred Robert Pattinson as the legendary Dark Knight, presented a fresh take on Gotham City, controlled by infamous mob boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro).

However, when Carmine meets his end at the hands of the Riddler (Paul Dano), the city descends into turmoil, leaving his offspring Alberto (Michael Zegen) and Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) to deal with the aftermath.

Seizing the opportunity, Penguin capitalises on the void left in Gotham's underworld by his boss's demise to establish his own criminal empire, reports the Express.

Set a week after the events of The Batman, The Penguin is among the most eagerly awaited new series of the year. But will it be a one-off, or should DC Comics enthusiasts keep their eyes peeled for more?

As of now, HBO has not confirmed whether The Penguin will return for a second season.

Currently, it's being promoted as a miniseries, typically indicating that the show will tell a complete story in its first season without plans for continuation.

Nevertheless, the recent success of shows like Shogun proves that there's always potential for miniseries to expand into additional seasons if the demand is high enough.

Given that The Penguin is based on one of the most beloved comic book franchises ever, there's a good chance we haven't seen the last of Oz on our TV screens.

Colin is already reportedly set to appear in The Batman: Part II, but he recently gave a less than enthusiastic response to the early calls for a follow-up season.

"I don't know, man," was his reply when Total Film asked him about it.

“Don’t get me wrong – I loved it – but it got in on me a little bit. By the end of it, I was b***hing and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I f***ing wanted it to be finished.

"I tried to remind them that I had 'grumpy gratitude'."

Despite his excitement to reprise his role after growing up watching previous versions of The Penguin, the lengthy sessions in the makeup chair might deter him from returning for another lead role as the infamous crime boss.

"I was still grateful, and still honoured," he added. "I grew up watching Burgess Meredith and then Danny DeVito was my Penguin - so being a part of the lineage of that storytelling, I really did feel privileged. But by the end of it..."

The Golden Globe-winning actor went on to commend series showrunner Lauren LeFranc and makeup designer Mike Marino before hinting he hadn't fully made up his mind about the possibility of returning.

"Lauren said, 'Look, if I could find a way that makes sense, would you talk about it?' And I said, 'Absolutely'," he added.

“And maybe in a year, I would. But when I finished I was like, ‘I never want to put that f***ing suit and that f***ing head on again’.”

The Penguin premieres Thursday, September 19 on HBO and Friday, September 20 on Sky Atlantic and NOW.