The Penguin has ended its run on HBO in spectacular fashion, leaving us all wondering what’s next in the criminal careers of Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone. But one question remains for fans of The Batman spin-off series—where was the Dark Knight? During the events of The Penguin, not only do we never see Batman on screen, he’s not even mentioned once. All the audience gets is a Bat-signal lighting up the sky at the very end of the final episode. Well, The Batman director and The Penguin executive producer Matt Reeves has an answer, which he told the folks at Digital Spy. Here’s what he said about Batman’s conspicuous absence in The Penguin:
This was a time of great turmoil in the city, it’s literally the week after what happened [in The Batman]. 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.
In short, in the fallout of the Riddler destroying the sea walls and flooding the city, Bats had his hands full. He simply wasn’t paying close attention to the mafia war going on in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death. Reeves also reminded fans that The Penguin all takes place mere weeks after the events of The Batman. Remember, The Batman began on Halloween, and lasted roughly through early November, when the Gotham City elections were taking place. The Penguin takes place after that, but clearly before winter sets in. Regardless, Oz Cobb and Batman will come face to face again. Only this time, it will happen on the big screen. Colin Farrell has already confirmed that he will appear in The Batman – Part II, which will arrive in 2026.
