‘The Penguin’ timeline explained: When does it take place and how does it fit with ‘The Batman’?

The upcoming series The Penguin dissects the story behind Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobb and his rise to infamy in Gotham City. Produced by both DC Studios and Warner Bros., the 8-episode show stars Colin Farrell as Cobb, while Cristin Milioti and Rhenzy Feliz will also have recurring roles.

As for the timeline, Batman fans will be pleased to know that the events of The Penguin all take place just one week after the end of the 2022 film that starred Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. That particular storyline ended with the Riddler flooding Gotham City, killing thousands, and now Oswald Cobb is set to exploit the chaos and take over Gotham’s underworld.

NRP writes that Farrell “goes big” in his interpretation of the creepy character, “and his Oz is a creature of bluster and outsized, ever-shifting moods”. They call it “a psychological drama dressed up in mob clothing: It delivers its pulpy, satisfying thrills alongside its more esoteric, intellectual pleasures” and compare the storyline and style to that of the Sopranos.

In The Batman, Cobb was not a key character and certainly did not have the stature of the more prominent villains, perfectly setting up this series to be his time to shine. Director Matt Reeves had actually suggested that The Penguin be a sequel film which could explore the character, but executives preferred the idea of a spin-off series instead.

Will Batman appear in The Penguin?

No, sorry Batman fans. Instead of constantly linking the show to the previous film the creators instead have preferred to build Oz a world of his own. Batman will not make an appearance in the 8-part series.

The character made his first appearance in Detective Comics #58, which was published in December 1941; he was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, and today many of his characteristics, including the suit, monocle and the Iceberg Lounge, have become mainstays in modern canon.

The Penguin is scheduled to premiere in the United States on HBO on September 19, 2024, and is set to run for eight episodes until November 10, 2024.