‘The Penguin’ Debuts This Week; Everything to Know About ‘The Batman’ Spinoff

Colin Farrell undergoes one of the most stunning transformations of his acting career in “The Penguin,” the new crime drama premiering on HBO and Max on Thursday, Sept. 19. The show will follow Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as he tries to make his mark on the criminal empires of Gotham City, and the opponents who don’t have to dress up in a cape and cowl to stand in his way.

Viewers who are just getting into the DC universe or are confused by how “The Penguin” fits in with other titles should browse this simple guide to answer all their questions. Find out everything you need to know about the show, where you can stream other content featuring The Penguin and more here.

Everything You Need to Know About ‘The Penguin’:

What is ‘The Penguin’ About?

“The Penguin” centers on Oswald Cobblepot (often shortened to “Oz Cob”) as he tries to cement his place at the top of the vast criminal enterprises of Gotham City. His old boss Carmine Falcone is dead, but Falcone’s daughter Sofia is now out of prison, and she’s not going to let her father’s vast web of criminal businesses slip out of her control and into Cobblepot’s slippery hands without a fight.

How Does ‘The Penguin’ Tie In With ‘The Batman’?

This version of Oswald Cobblepot was first seen in 2021’s “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. In that film, Cobblepot is a gangster working for Carmine Falcone and finds himself on Batman’s radar when The Riddler begins murdering corrupt city officials connected to Falcone’s operations.

Suspected Oz to be an informant, Batman chases the gangster through the streets of the city before ultimately capturing him and discovering he’s not the rat after all. Falcone is killed by The Riddler, leaving a power vacuum in the criminal underworld that Oz believes it’s his destiny to fill. “The Penguin” takes place around six weeks after the conclusion of “The Batman.”

Who Are the Main Characters of ‘The Penguin’?

• Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot: Played by Colin Farrell. Former lieutenant of Carmine Falcone, Cobblepot thinks of the criminal empire left leaderless by Falcone’s death as his inheritance and will stop at nothing to claim it.

• Sofia Falcone: Played by Cristin Milioti. The daughter of the dead Carmine, and a psychopathic killer in her own right, Sofia was released from prison too late to prevent her father’s demise. Like Oz, she sees his empire as her due after the death of Carmine.

• Victor Aguilar: Played by Rhenzy Feliz. A teenager who gets caught up in Oswald’s schemes when he becomes the crime boss’s personal driver.

• Carmine Falcone: Played by Mark Strong, replacing John Turturro from “The Batman.” One of Gotham’s most ruthless criminals before he was killed by The Riddler, Falcone will appear in several flashbacks throughout the series.

• Johnny Vitti: Played by Michael Kelly. The underboss of the Falcone crime family, whose allegiances will be crucial for whoever ends up in control of the family following Carmine’s death.

• Salvatore Maroni: Played by Clancy Brown. A rival mob boss and drug trafficker whose operations were ended when Falcone turned informant to rat him out and bring his operations to an end.

What Time Will Episodes of ‘The Penguin’ Come on HBO and Max?

“The Penguin” will shift timeslots a bit, so fans can be forgiven for being a bit confused by the answer to this question. The series will debut its first episode on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET, and will premiere simultaneously on HBO and Max.

Starting Sunday, Sept. 29, the show moves to its regular timeslot of 9 p.m. ET. Subsequent episodes will be released on Sundays at 9 p.m.; check out the schedule of “The Penguin” episode releases below.

What Other Titles Featuring The Penguin Are Available to Stream?

If Farrell’s portrayal of “The Penguin” isn’t quite the version of the character you were looking for, there are plenty of other Batman projects that feature The Penguin prominently. From the classic, monocled menace of the 1966 Adam West-starring show to Danny DeVito’s unforgettable 1992 portrayal in “Batman Returns” to 2024’s “Batman: Caped Crusader” which features a female version of the character, check out all the other titles featuring The Penguin and where to stream them below.