How The Penguin’s Finale Sets the Stage for The Batman Part II—and Potentially Season 2

How The Penguin’s Finale Sets the Stage for The Batman Part II—and Potentially, Season 2

Director Matt Reeves of The Batman and The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc break down the thrilling finale and hint at what’s next.

When The Batman director Matt Reeves established the general storyline for his movie sequel, he shared it with Lauren LeFranc, the showrunner and lead writer of HBO’s spinoff series, The Penguin. “I’m always eager to contribute,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “I’m like, ‘Is there something I can include for you? Anything to help set up your film?’ We have the space to do that.”

The finale of The Penguin, titled “A Great or Little Thing,” does just that, setting up key story elements for the next film.

In the climactic scenes, Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) dons a tuxedo in a nod to the classic Penguin villain and revels in his victories from a luxurious penthouse suite. He’s firmly established as Gotham’s criminal kingpin following a brutal gang war. He’s also seen his chief rival, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), condemned to Arkham State Hospital, and now he has his ailing mother, Francis (Deirdre O’Connell), entirely in his power, confined and bedridden in his home.

But just as Oz basks in his success, hints of future challenges emerge. In Arkham, Sofia receives a letter from Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). In the letter, Selina acknowledges that they share a bond as half-sisters. Gotham’s new mayor, Bella Reál (Jayme Lawson), also makes a brief appearance, reminding audiences of the city’s political tension. In the final moments, as Oz dances with Eve Karlo (Carmen Ejogo), who’s dressed to resemble his mother, the Bat-Signal lights up the night sky. It’s clear Robert Pattinson’s Batman will soon be involved.

During an interview, Reeves discussed whether they could integrate Pattinson’s Batman directly into The Penguin. “We considered different ideas for bringing Batman into the show, but nothing quite felt justified,” Reeves said. One idea was to have Bruce Wayne appear before Vic (Rhenzy Feliz), Oz’s right-hand man, but even that felt out of place. “We wanted the show to focus on the characters we’ve established,” LeFranc explained. “Anything that detracted from that would compromise the type of story we wanted to tell.”

LeFranc had a vision for the series’ ending from the outset. “Every moment I included in the first episode was intentional,” she said. She envisioned Oz killing Vic on the same park bench where they’d once shared slushies—a “suicide slushie” moment that symbolizes Oz’s struggle with vulnerability. “Oz kills him not because Vic failed him but because he can’t bear the closeness he feels. That makes him weak,” Reeves explained.

LeFranc also knew she wanted Oz to be the one who drives Sofia back to Arkham—a dark reflection of their past when he served as her driver. “There’s a lot of dialogue in that scene that echoes earlier conversations between Oz and Sofia,” LeFranc noted. Regarding a potential Kravitz cameo, LeFranc shared that they never seriously considered it, preferring to subtly acknowledge the sibling connection through Sofia’s letter from Selina. “The letter offered Sofia a glimmer of hope, even in her terrible state.”

Another crucial piece of LeFranc’s ending was Oz’s mother, Francis, realizing her worst fears. “We planted that purple dress as a recurring symbol throughout the season, leading up to Eve’s appearance in it during the finale,” LeFranc shared.

Finally, LeFranc knew the Bat-Signal would appear in the closing shot to transition into Reeves’ second Batman film. “I liked the idea of Batman undercutting Oz’s fantasy of ultimate success,” she said. “It’s as if to say, ‘You may think you’ve arrived, but maybe not.’”

Reeves has confirmed that Oz will serve as a key narrative link in The Batman Part II, which is set to begin filming soon and is scheduled for release on October 2, 2026. “We wanted to leave viewers with a sense of unfinished business,” he explained. “Oz and Batman might be on a collision course, but this episode wraps up Oz’s arc in a meaningful way.”

Meanwhile, there’s a chance The Penguin could continue with a second season. HBO executives expressed interest in extending the show, especially given the strong viewership and critical acclaim it’s received, comparable to The Last of Us and House of the Dragon, according to Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest earnings call.

Reeves confirmed preliminary discussions about a potential season 2. “Lauren, Dylan [Clark, Reeves’ producing partner], Colin, and I are starting to brainstorm what that could look like,” he said. “We want to maintain the same level of quality. We’re not interested in simply adding more; we want to create something great.”

Recently, reports have speculated about a new The Batman spinoff centered on Barry Keoghan’s Joker. However, a source close to the project denied these rumors, noting that while HBO is interested in future series, no specific plans for a Joker-focused show are underway.

Reeves emphasized that while HBO is keen to know about future projects, the timeline for these developments remains uncertain. “We’re leaving Oz and Gotham in a place where the city is still reeling from recent events. As The Batman Part II begins, the consequences of the gang war and other conflicts are still very present, setting the stage for our next chapter,” he shared.

It’s clear that Gotham’s dark, tumultuous world isn’t done with Oz—or Batman—just yet.

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