Matt Reeves Explains Decision to Decline Directing The Penguin Spinoff

The Batman 2’s Matt Reeves has discussed his decision to refrain from directing the franchise’s spinoff, The Penguin.

Set one week after the events portrayed in 2022’s The Batman, this new TV series will chronicle Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot / The Penguin‘s ascent as a formidable figure in the city’s underworld.

Given the series’ close connection to The Batman movie, many fans anticipated that director Matt Reeves would take the lead as showrunner on some episodes.

However, Reeves chose not to take the director’s seat, telling Collider, “The thing is that I really wanted to except that first of all, when we first began, we were actually in post on The Batman, that’s actually where this all started. And then as things progressed, we faced a strike and numerous other issues. We realized it would create conflicts with the completion of the [Batman 2] script.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfJG6IiA_s8

The Penguin | Official Trailer | Max (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfJG6IiA_s8)

He elaborated, ” At one point, it became clear that, given what I needed to accomplish for The Batman 2 and my responsibilities on the show, I couldn’t manage both roles. It just wasn’t feasible this time. However, who knows what the future holds? Everything ultimately comes down to scheduling.”

Reeves emphasized that aside from scheduling conflicts, he struggles to focus on multiple projects simultaneously. “It would squeeze out everything else,” he noted.

Despite not directing, Reeves remains heavily involved in The Penguin. He has indicated that the mobster character will play a significant role in the Batman trilogy he intends to create.

“When we conceived the idea for The Penguin, it was always my intention to continue Penguin’s story and showcase his rise to power,” Reeves explained to Deadline. “This was a deliberate choice; while it isn’t Batman’s origin story, I aimed to explore the origins of these other characters from the Rogues Gallery. That story was initially meant to serve as a gateway into the next film.”

The director also confirmed that Colin Farrell will reprise his role in The Batman 2, noting that his character will serve as the “entry point” for the sequel, with fans expected to see how his narrative is “absolutely connected to where we conclude the series.”

Source