The Penguin spoilers follow.
The Batman spin-off show The Penguin just wrapped up it’s season finale with a sneaky tease to the caped crusader’s return as the famous Bat Signal lit up the Gotham skyline.
However, many fans were left questioning why the iconic DC vigilante was absent throughout the show.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, the HBO crime drama’s executive producer, Matt Reeves, unpacked the dramatic events of The Penguin season finale and revealed why Batman didn’t intervene.
Related: Best streaming services 2024 — including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+
Reeves, who also directed 2022’s The Batman, detailed how the events of The Penguin directly follow on from the film.
What to Read Next
"This was a time of great turmoil in the city, it's literally the week after what happened," Reeves explained. "Much of the city is in desperation, so police can't get everywhere, there's crime everywhere, it's a very, very dangerous time.
"[Batman’s] out there trying to grapple with the aftermath of everything that happened, which to some degree he blames himself for."
Related: The Penguin's showrunner on unexplained significance of Oswald's limp
So, it seems Oz Cobb may have successfully evaded consequences for now while Batman’s been busy attempting to deal with the fallout of Riddler’s explosive plot.
However, now as the new kingpin of Gotham's criminal underworld after dethroning Sofia Falcone, it may not be long before the Dark Knight catches up to him.
Looking ahead to The Batman: Part II, Reeves revealed fans will see the titular hero entering a challenging new phase as he finds it "very hard to be Batman".
Related: Barry Keoghan's Joker teased by The Batman: Part 2's director and Colin Farrell
However, it’s not just the return of Robert Pattinson’s Batman that was teased in The Penguin’s finale.
The closing scenes of the season also hinted at a comeback for Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle.
Locked up once more in Arkham State Hospital, Sofia received a letter from her half-sister Selina.
Will Catwoman return as an ally or an enemy to Batman? Fan will have to patiently wait to find out as the next movie isn’t set to be released until October 2026.
The Penguin airs on Max in the US, and NOW and Sky Atlantic in the UK.
You Might Like...
News Editor, Digital Spy
Emma is an experienced entertainment news journalist with NCTJ accreditation and a First-Class Honours Degree in Journalism. Having started her career as a broadcast journalist, Emma’s voice has been heard on varying radio stations across the UK including Absolute, Magic, BBC Three Counties Radio, LBC London News and more.
Later specialising in multimedia entertainment news, Emma has brushed shoulders with numerous famous faces and interviewed the likes of Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, Sir Michael Palin, Rick Astley, and too many soap stars to count. Having produced a range of engaging news content over the years for brands such as 7Digital’s Entertainment News, Yahoo, and Express Online, Emma eventually joined Digital Spy in 2022 as Deputy News Editor, becoming Acting News Editor in 2023 and then News Editor in 2024.
While she’s gained lots of praise during celebrity interviews throughout her career, the most memorable compliment Emma’s ever received was when a Game of Thrones star remarked "Your teeth are stunning!". LinkedIn
Laurence Mozafari (he/him) is a multi-award winning journalist, editor, and presenter. A former Editor-in-Chief of Digital Spy, Laurence previously held roles as the site's Editor, Deputy Editor, and Associate Editor focusing on news, social, and video. Laurence hosted the BBC Sounds podcast Obsessed with Peaky Blinders in 2019. He also hosts his own podcast production, Time of My Life, where he interviews fascinating elders about their life lessons, including Only Fools and Horses' Sir David Jason, Star Trek’s George Takei and Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh.
Laurence was named Editorial Director – Youth Audience at Reach in early 2025. Prior to joining Digital Spy, he was previously at Bauer Media working as Digital Editor of Heat magazine's website Heatworld.com, and has also worked at and written for Sky, NME, Q magazine, Grazia, Closer, FHM and dedicated careers website GoThinkBig. He secured a first-class BA journalism degree at Staffordshire University, along with several NCTJ qualifications, and now has 14 years' experience in digital publishing covering TV, movies, music, gaming, tech, showbiz, and travel.
Laurence has been a broadcasting contributor on television and radio, including KISS, Heat Radio, BBC Radio London, Radio 5 Live, and BBC Breakfast.
He is also a visiting lecturer at various universities teaching journalism, including City, University of London, Nottingham Trent, Staffordshire University and London Metropolitan. Laurence has won numerous awards in his journalism career, including the BSME Talent Award’s Best Deputy Editor, the PPA's 30 Under 30, and the New Editor and Editor of the Year at the AOP and BSMEs. He led Digital Spy to win PPA's Digital Content Team of the Year twice, along with the British Media Awards’ Brand of the Year in 2021.
Laurence joined the committee for the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2022 and was named vice-chair in 2025. He has since hosted panels with CEOs of Immediate Media and the Media Trust at the PPA Festival, as well as presenting his own radio show on Green Man Radio at Green Man Festival in 2022. Laurence is also a Brits voting academy member.
Laurence has been lucky enough to interview numerous celebrities, actors, and musicians throughout his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger loved his hair, Jimmy Carr loved his coat and Antonio Banderas gave a shout-out to his mum. Laurence has covered set visits for The Witcher on Netflix and Marvel’s Inhumans, he got Daisy Ridley to do a Chewbacca impression and loves Marvel, PlayStation, Glastonbury and craft beer. Linkedin
