THE BATMAN: PART II: Colin Farrell Says Penguin Is Only in Two Scenes, But Calls Matt Reeves’ Script “Terrifying”
There’s been plenty of speculation about how much of Gotham’s criminal kingpin we’ll see in The Batman: Part II, and now Colin Farrell has offered a surprising update.
Despite the massive impact his Oz Cobb made in both The Batman and HBO Max’s The Penguin, it turns out the character’s role in the upcoming sequel is much smaller than many fans expected.
While speaking with ScreenRant, Farrell confirmed that he’s already read the complete script for Matt Reeves’ next chapter in the Dark Knight saga, and he couldn’t stop praising what the filmmaker has put together.
When asked if he had read the screenplay, Farrell said: "Sure. Yeah, the whole thing. We haven't gone to that place yet where somebody arrives with a titanium briefcase chained to their wrist and seven pages of only my scenes. I got to read from the first to last page, and it's really magnificent."
That’s high praise coming from someone who has spent years immersed in Reeves’ version of Gotham. But Farrell went even further when describing the tone and emotional depth of the story.
He explained: "I just think Matt Reeves is brilliant and he wrote, not only tonally, a really kind of dark and at times terrifying piece, and not only psychologically weighty and nuanced, but really feeling.
“It's a really... There's moments in it. It's full of feeling. I just think he wrote kind of a contemporary genre masterpiece, really. I'm only in two scenes, which is great because it means I can enjoy the rest of the film. Honestly, man, it's so good. I'm so excited about it."
The biggest surprise in that statement is the revelation that Penguin only appears in two scenes. After watching Oz rise to power throughout The Penguin, many fans assumed he would have a much larger presence in the sequel.
The last time audiences saw him, Oz had completed his transformation into Gotham’s dominant crime boss. The finale of The Penguin saw him murder his loyal assistant Vic, send Sofia Falcone to Arkham Asylum, and fully claim control of the city’s underworld.
The series ended with Oz dancing in his apartment while the Bat-Signal illuminated the sky outside, leaving viewers with the sense that his story was only beginning.
That ending makes Farrell’s comments even more interesting. If Penguin only appears briefly, Reeves must have other plans driving the story forward. Exactly how Oz’s newfound power fits into the larger narrative remains a mystery, but his influence on Gotham could still loom large even with limited screen time.
Plot details for The Batman: Part II are still being kept under wraps, but we do know that a new threat is entering the picture. Sebastian Stan is set to play Harvey Dent, joining a cast that also includes Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance alongside Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne.
If Farrell’s reaction is any indication, Reeves is once again leaning into the darker corners of Gotham while delivering something emotionally substantial. Calling the screenplay “terrifying” and a “contemporary genre masterpiece” certainly sets expectations high.
Fans will have to wait a little longer to see exactly what Reeves has planned, but Farrell’s enthusiasm suggests that Gotham’s next chapter could be something special.
The Batman: Part II is currently scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.