We’re approaching Episode 4 of The Penguin, and we’re in the thick of Gotham’s criminal world – thankfully, the filming locations used aren’t quite as dangerous as their fictional counterparts.
In The Penguin, the Batman villain Oz Cobblepot (named Oz Cobb in the series), is making his way back up the ladder of power one week after the events of The Batman.
But navigating the secret power structure of Gotham is no small task, and the city itself is just as important a character as Oz, or Batman for that matter. As such, getting the filming locations right was integral for the TV show.
However, you might be surprised to learn that The Penguin wasn’t shot in the same location as the 2022 superhero movie.
The Penguin and The Batman are filmed in different places
Despite both being set in Gotham, The Penguin was filmed in New York City, while The Batman was shot in Liverpool, Glasgow, and London.
That seems rather unusual, considering how both projects are set in the same location. However, they’re shot across the pond from each other, with The Batman’s Gothic take on the iconic fictional city split across the United Kingdom.
The Penguin, however, was shot in New York City. Principal filming began in March 2023, using the working title ‘Boss’. Exteriors were shot around the city, while interiors and soundstage work took place at Silvercup Studios North in Queens.
The choice of location did mean there were some delays. Filming was due to take place in Westchester County, New York when the 2023 Writers Strike shut down production, since picketers were participating in that area.
Another location, at a church in Harlem, was also occupied by picketers halting filming. When it resumed, they filmed in Brooklyn. Production also took place in the Bronx and at Whitestone, Queens.
The Penguin filming locations
The Penguin was filmed in interior and exterior locations around New York City:
- 2335 12th Avenue in West Harlem (Iceberg Lounge Club)
- 27th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues (Gotham Diamond District)
- Williamsburg Bridge tower
- La Selva (Falcone mansion)
- Gramercy Park (Hawksmoor NYC)
- Hewes Street subway station (Buddy’s corner mart)
- Kew Gardens train station (Irving Grove Station)
- Seneca Avenue BMT station (Eve’s apartment)
- Chinatown, South Bronx, Yonkers (Crown Point)
- Silvercup Studios North
As one of the main filming locations established in The Batman, it was important to include the Iceberg Lounge Club in The Penguin. This was shot at the large metal arches and was filmed under Riverside Drive in West Harlem. (This is also the same location that was used for Ha-Ha’s Clown Agency in Joker – 2335 12th Avenue.)
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The interior of the club is seen in The Batman, though this was shot at the Printworks London, UK.
The exterior of Oz’s apartment in Gotham’s Diamond District was filmed on 27th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, and you can also see the top of the Williamsburg Bridge tower (with some appropriate CGI additions).
If you’re looking to visit the Falcone mansion, this was filmed at La Selva, which can be found in Upper Brookville on Long Island’s North Shore.
In regards to the mansion, production designer Kalina Ivanov said [via Time Out]: “Carmine was a third-generation gangster, [and] he would have had really great taste. So we immediately knew we wanted his house to look like a Great Gatsby mansion in Oyster Bay. We ended up with a beautiful mansion in La Selva.”
One of the most dire settings in The Penguin is Crown Point, where the poorest Gotham citizens are forced to live in terrible conditions. Ivanov ended up being inspired by history when similar living conditions could be found in 19th-century New York – the infamous Five Points in particular.
To create this setting, they used a combination of locations, including Chinatown, the South Bronx, and Yonkers.
“We wanted to use the real history of New York and make it the architectural language of our show. It was really powerful to be historically accurate,” Ivanov said.
You can read our recap of The Penguin Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3, discover Cristin Milioti’s forgotten role in The Sopranos, find out more about why Oz Cobb limps, why Batman won’t appear in The Penguin and a secret QR code that’ll unlock a Riddler Easter egg. You can also learn why Dr Julian Rush may be a Batman villain in disguise.
You should also check out our list of the best superhero TV shows.