The Two Things Colin Farrell Won't Miss About Playing The Penguin

When "The Batman" dropped back in 2022, Colin Farrell's Penguin became an instant fan-favorite, mainly because he provided some of the only comic relief in Matt Reeves' relentlessly dingy neo noir. So popular was Farrell's wise guy rogue that he was given his own show, with Warner Bros. and Reeves doubling down on the character's appeal as a way of expanding the universe established in the film. "The Penguin" debuted two years later, beating Marvel at its own game with a series that stands on its own as an HBO premium drama but which also provides valuable connective tissue between "The Batman" and the upcoming "The Batman: Part II."

For Farrell, it seemed as though inhabiting a character he clearly had a ball playing in Reeves' film was going to be equally enjoyable. The actor spoke about having "unbridled fun" playing The Penguin in "The Batman" and had a lot of positive things to say about the extensive prosthetics and makeup required to transform him into enterprising mob footsoldier Oz Cobb. Farrell not only appreciated the hard work that went into producing the overall look, but told Total Film that it actually allowed him to become fully immersed in the character. "It overtook me," he said, "as I think it would most people. I started moving and talking and gesticulating with my hands and it felt like being a kid in the sandbox, man."

Sadly, it seems that donning the various pieces that make up Oz's distinct look across an eight-episode HBO drama soured Farrell on the experience, with the actor having since talked about how much he hated his Penguin costume by the end of filming the series. Now, we've got actual footage of a (sort of) in-character Farrell talking about how glad he is to be free of Oz Cobb for a while.

One of the most striking things about the Penguin of Matt Reeves' Batman universe is the way in which he looks and acts absolutely nothing like Colin Farrell. The man truly disappeared behind the costume in a way few actors ever do. Which is why it's slightly jarring to see Oz Cobb chatting to the cast and crew of "The Penguin" in Farrell's lilting Irish accent. TMZ posted a clip on Twitter/X of the actor speaking on set during what looks to be the final day of filming on "The Penguin," which you can watch below.

In the clip, Farrell, seemingly in good spirits, talks about how he "loved every minute" of making the show, even when he "wasn't loving it," before saying he felt "humbled" and "blessed" to be a part of it. He then jokes that he won't miss the penguin's suit or his voice, prompting laughter from the crew.

Though Colin Farrell clearly had enough of the makeup process and maintaining Oz's Joisy accent by the end of filming "The Penguin," he's going to have to get used to playing the character moving forward. Whether we'll see another season of "The Penguin" remains unclear at this point, though it doesn't seem impossible given the popularity of the first season. But the whole point of "The Penguin" was to position Oz as the undisputed king of Gotham's underworld. That sets him on a collision course with Robert Pattinson's Batman, who didn't show up throughout "The Penguin" but who will almost certainly clash with Oz in "The Batman: Part II."

Thankfully, it seems Farrell has softened on the idea of donning the costume again since his frustrations at the end of filming "The Penguin." Though he ended the season by expressing his delight at not having to wear the suit or do the voice any more, Farrell has since said that he has one condition to return as Oz Cobb for a second season — namely, a good script that's even stronger than the one for season 1. In that sense, it seems the Irish star just needed to put some distance between himself and Oz for a while before returning, which is good news for fans everywhere of the unfortunately named "Batman Epic Crime Saga."