Lanterns Officially Loses to The Penguin as DC’s Biggest TV Hit

Although James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU had a great trial with Lanterns, it seems that the HBO show wasn’t enough to break into one of DC’s biggest TV hits of all time: The Penguin.

Starring Colin Farrell in the leading role of Oswald Cobb, The Penguin drew in a large number of viewers per episode, something that Lanterns couldn’t beat for miles. The news was shared by Variety and shared on X, where the average viewership of Lanterns was revealed to be 19 million viewers on average per episode.

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 1, 2026

This is quite a few million viewers away from DC and HBO’s The Penguin, which clocked in at around 27 million viewers per episode back in 2024. However, despite these stunning numbers, the show will not be moving forward with a second season.

Despite Fame, The Penguin Season 2 Not Moving Forward at DC

Clocking in at an average of 27 million viewers per episode, the Colin Farrell show was quite the buzz when it was released in 2024. Being a part of the Elseworlds universe, The Penguin shared its universe with Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s The Batman.

Featuring Colin Farrell in the role of Oswald Cobb, the series followed his descent into becoming Gotham’s undisputed ruler. Although calls for season 2 were plenty, showrunner Lauren LeFranc revealed in an interview with The Direct that there’s no season 2 unless they have a really good story to tell.

It’s been a joy to write them, even though they’re twisted and complicated and weird and darkly funny. And I’d love to keep playing in it, but I think it just has to be the right thing. We should never do anything just to do it.

Well, Lauren LeFranc isn’t really wrong, but there were several reasons that The Penguin was a peak HBO show that cannot be recreated ever again.

Why Colin Farrell’s The Penguin Was Peak Television

There have been several crime sagas when talking about television shows. Television shows like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Peaky Blinders have spent seasons trying to earn their fandom. However, Colin Farrell’s The Penguin was able to do it in a single season.

Farrell’s performance has been praised by critics worldwide, and he lets the eight episodes finish the story in peace. The Penguin also has a strong point of view about its world and how Gotham operates as a city. Naturally, the show is a grim design made for mature audiences ready to take on the bigger challenges.

On the other hand, Lanterns, although with a mature storyline, has a great introductory vibe to the DCU. However, it does lack the gravitas that the former HBO show had. It is understandable that Gunn and Safran’s DCU wanted to trust the long process; however, that was reflected in the show’s average viewership.

Which one do you prefer: The Penguin or Lanterns? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Penguin and Lanterns are available to stream on HBO Max.