The Penguin limited series, the highly anticipated spin-off from Matt Reeves' The Batman universe, is a sprawling crime saga that requires a significant time commitment, but the payoff is an in-depth look at Oswald "Oz" Cobb's ruthless rise to power. The series, which debuted in late 2024, is structured as an eight-episode limited series, a format that allows for a cinematic, novelistic approach to the story, bridging the gap between The Batman and its upcoming sequel, The Batman: Part II.
The total runtime for the entire series is a substantial 460 minutes, which translates to approximately 7 hours and 40 minutes of intense, Gotham City-set drama. This length is a key detail for viewers planning a binge-watch on Max or following the weekly release schedule on HBO, as the individual episode runtimes fluctuate significantly, ranging from just under an hour to well over. As of today, December 14, 2025, all eight episodes have aired, and the full runtime details are confirmed, offering a complete picture of the series' epic scale.
Oz Cobb's Ascent: The Full Episode Count and Total Series Runtime
The decision to make The Penguin an eight-episode limited series was a strategic one, allowing showrunner Lauren LeFranc and executive producer Matt Reeves to fully explore the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone in The Batman. This structure is more akin to a long-form movie than a traditional television season, a trend common in premium cable and streaming limited series. The total runtime of 7 hours and 40 minutes ensures that every major character—from Oz Cobb himself (Colin Farrell) to Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti)—receives a deep, complex narrative arc.
The average episode length for The Penguin hovers around 57.5 minutes, but this average is misleading because the premiere and the finale are significantly longer, a common practice for high-stakes, cinematic television. The show's core narrative focuses on Oz Cobb’s transformation from a low-level enforcer to a major crime boss, a journey that demands a lengthy, detailed exploration of Gotham's criminal underworld. The limited nature of the series means there is no wasted time, with every minute contributing to the overall, self-contained story.
Key Series Details:
- Total Episodes: 8
- Total Runtime: 460 Minutes (7 Hours and 40 Minutes)
- Average Episode Length: Approximately 57.5 Minutes
- Original Network/Streaming: HBO / Max
- Status: Limited Series (Concluded November 10, 2024)
A Minute-by-Minute Breakdown: Every 'The Penguin' Episode Title and Runtime
The runtimes for The Penguin are not uniform, a creative choice that allows the pacing to ebb and flow with the dramatic demands of the story. The series starts strong with an extended premiere and concludes with an extra-long finale, bookending the season with feature-length episodes. This detailed list provides the exact runtime for all eight episodes, confirming the commitment required for each installment of Oz Cobb's bloody takeover.
The Official 'The Penguin' Episode Runtimes List
Here is the complete breakdown of the eight-episode limited series, including the official titles and confirmed runtimes:
| Episode # | Episode Title | Runtime (Minutes) | Approximate Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | "After Hours" | 67 minutes | 1 hour, 7 minutes |
| Episode 2 | "Inside Man" | 56 minutes | 56 minutes |
| Episode 3 | "Bliss" | 59 minutes | 59 minutes |
| Episode 4 | "Cent'Anni" | 58 minutes | 58 minutes |
| Episode 5 | "Homecoming" | 54 minutes | 54 minutes |
| Episode 6 | "Gold Summit" | 52 minutes | 52 minutes |
| Episode 7 | "Top Hat" | 46 minutes | 46 minutes |
| Episode 8 | "Great or Little Thing" | 68 minutes | 1 hour, 8 minutes |
The data clearly shows a trend: the series starts long, settles into a tight, sub-hour format for the middle four episodes, and then features a relatively short Episode 7 before concluding with the longest episode of the entire series in the finale.
The Cinematic Scale: Why The Penguin's Runtime Matters
The extended runtimes, particularly for the bookend episodes, are a deliberate choice that underscores the show's goal of maintaining the high cinematic quality established in The Batman. Colin Farrell's transformative performance as Oswald "Oz" Cobb is the central pillar, and the extra minutes in the premiere and finale allow for crucial character development and large-scale action sequences.
The limited series format, combined with the feature-length episodes, is designed to serve as a direct bridge to the future of the Batman universe, specifically The Batman: Part II. Key storylines, such as the conflict between Oz Cobb and the Falcone crime family—represented by Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone and Michael Zegen’s Alberto Falcone—require the extensive screen time provided by the 7 hours and 40 minutes total runtime. This length allows the series to delve into the complex political maneuvering and gang warfare that defines Gotham City's criminal underworld following the vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone.
The show introduces several new, important entities, including Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, a former crime boss, and Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, Oz's driver and protégé. Allocating nearly eight hours of screen time ensures that these and other characters—such as the mysterious Bliss, a new drug entity in Gotham—are fully integrated into the narrative, providing the topical authority needed to feel like a true, weighty part of Matt Reeves' expansive DC Studios vision. The series is not just a side story; it is a critical chapter in the saga, and its significant length reflects its importance to the overall timeline.
In conclusion, The Penguin is an epic undertaking, with an overall length that places it firmly in the category of a long-form cinematic event. Viewers should prepare for a significant commitment, but the reward is a deep, unflinching look at the rise of one of Batman's most iconic adversaries, all meticulously detailed across its eight, variable-length episodes.
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