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Matt Reeves confirms a fan-favorite ‘Penguin’ star won’t appear in ‘The Batman 2’ and we‘re not okay

Matt Reeves confirms a key ‘Penguin’ cast member will not appear in ‘The Batman 2’, citing script progress but hinting at future return.

Following the epic success of Matt Reeves' 'Batman,' fans are eagerly waiting for Part 2. Slated for an October 2027 release, 'The Batman: Part II' will be grander than the first movie, making the wait harder than expected. Not only that, fans' anticipation was mounting high when it was speculated that a fan favorite, 'The Penguin' character, would appear in the superhero flick. However, director Reeves recently quashed the rumors, breaking fans' hearts.

At the 2025 Emmys, Reeves addressed speculation about whether Cristin Milioti would return as Sofia Falcone in 'The Batman: Part II." Reeves confirmed she would not appear in the sequel, explaining it wasn't due to her performance but rather the direction of the story, as per Beebom. He told MTV, "Cristin's not in this one, but that's because we were so deep into the script by the time we were in the show. But we'll see. I mean, I think what she did in the show is just astonishing."

He further added, "In this one, in full disclosure, just because we were so far along in the story that it was like, oh, gee, it might upset the apple cart, let's say, given where the story goes and what we were exploring. There are some things where it's like, "Oh, we'd love to do this, but actually that doesn't fit within where the story goes." Reeves' comments make it clear that Milioti’s absence is strictly a storytelling choice. However, Reeves himself seemed to leave the door open for her future, hinting that while she won't be in Part II, there's still potential for her to reappear down the line.

Talking about Milioti, the star shone bright at the 2025 Emmys, where she won her first Emmy for Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Gigante in 'The Penguin'. In her acceptance speech, she said, "Thank you so much. I'm so profoundly grateful," revealing that she had written her speech on the back of a piece of paper from a recent therapy session. She added, "I loved making this show and I loved playing Sofia so much," as per The Hollywood Reporter.

During her Emmys 2025 acceptance speech, Milioti also touched on the weight of the moment, saying, "It's very hard to make sense of being alive right now in this world and so I'm deeply grateful for the bright spots. And making this show with our incredible cast and our incredible crew and getting to inhabit this woman was a bright spot for me despite it being, like, very grisly. Playing her felt like flying." She then turned to her loved ones, thanking her family for always embracing her quirks, saying, "Thank you to my incredible family for supporting their strange kid and showing me movies that were very inappropriate for my age."

Through tears, she also gave a heartfelt tribute to her closest circle, remarking, "I have the best friends in the world. You're the reason that I'm standing. You're the whole reason that I've gotten through life." As she wrapped up, Milioti honored 'The Penguin' showrunner, saying, "Lauren LeFranc, she is the reason our show is so special." She also expressed gratitude to her team and the behind-the-scenes crew before ending on a passionate note, as she said, "I love you and I love acting so much!"