Fans have been eagerly awaiting Colin Farrell’s return in The Penguin. However, it seems as though the Batman spin-off series has been delayed due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Studios have tried their hardest to stop any delays in their ongoing refusal to end the SAG-AFTRA strike. Yet, as talks continue into November with no deal penned, blockbuster projects like Deadpool 3 have suffered harsh delays. Now, it seems as though The Batman universe will join the delays as The Penguin, originally set to debut next Spring, is delayed until at least Fall 2024.
The longer the studios continue the SAG-AFTRA strike, the longer that delay may be, as more and more projects take priority over a spin-off of The Batman. Hopefully, a deal can be made soon to ensure that The Penguin can be released sometime next year.
Storyline and Cast
The Penguin is set in the same universe as The Batman and sees Colin Farrell returning to the role of the villainous DC Comics character. Cristin Milioti plays the show’s female lead, Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Gotham City mob boss Carmine Falcone. Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Rhenzy Feliz, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, and David H. Holmes round out the cast in undisclosed roles.
Mare Of Easttown helmer Craig Zobel is directing the first two episodes of The Penguin, with Lauren LeFranc (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Chuck) overseeing the project as its writer and showrunner. Colin Farrell is an executive producer on the series alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Dylan Clark.
The Batman opened in theaters in March 2022, earning 770.8 million at the worldwide box office, a figure that makes it the seventh highest-grossing movie of 2022. Reeves is working on a sequel to the Warner Bros. project and currently writing its script alongside Mattson Tomlin.
The delay of The Penguin is an unfortunate result of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Fans will have to wait until at least Fall 2024 to see Colin Farrell’s return as the villainous character. However, with the popularity surrounding The Batman and the talented cast and crew involved in the spin-off series, it is bound to be worth the wait. Hopefully, a resolution can be reached soon in the strike negotiations to minimize the delay and allow fans to enjoy The Penguin sometime next year.
