Colin Farrell gushes about Matt Reeves, promises his involvement in The Penguin series

The role of the Joker has long been mythologized to torment actors, placing them in their darkest headspace and leaving a stain on their very souls. The role of the Penguin, on the other hand, sounds like a rollicking good time.

“Oh my god, you kidding me?!” Penguin portrayer Colin Farrell exclaimed when Entertainment Tonight asked whether he’d participate in The Batman sequel. “It’s so much fun, are you joking [with] me? I’ve been around the block man. That was an easy sport, I mean … it was a joy.”

This particular Batman (as opposed to the other one) will indeed be coming back for a second film, so Farrell’s chances are high. But in that case, he’d most likely be relegated once again to a second-string baddie, since the first film teased yet another dark and twisted Joker (played by Barry Keoghan). Batman boss Matt Reeves claimed he has “no idea when or if we would return to that character in the movies,” but it seems pretty unlikely they’d set up something that big just to leave it on the shelf.

Still, even if Farrell’s Penguin doesn’t get his Big Bad moment on the big screen, he’s due to have his starring moment in the upcoming Penguin HBO Max series. In his interview with ET, Farrell praised Reeves, who serves as executive producer on the show. “Matt’s up to his bollocks, you know, hovering over the keyboard and just planning the story because he’s just so meticulous. He’s so obsessive about what he does, but he’s all over The Penguin as well.” He adds, “I mean, he’s not gonna direct it but he’s all over the structure of the scripts and who’s gonna direct them. And so, it’s exciting.”

Farrell offered no details about those scripts, nor can he share a date for when the spin-off will come to television (he told the outlet he hopes to start filming the project in the new year). That said, we can all rest easy knowing more good times are ahead for Oswald Cobblepot.