The Penguin Filming Locations – The Penguin miniseries is a great show to watch if you like DC Comics and crime shows. This crime drama takes you deep into the dirty world of Gotham City. It is a spin-off from The Batman (2022). As Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot goes from being a small-time gangster to a major figure in Gotham’s criminal world, The Penguin shows a fascinating journey of power, betrayal and survival.
The Penguin is an HBO show created by Lauren LeFranc and directed by Craig Zobel, Helen Shaver, Kevin Bray, and Jennifer Getzinger. Colin Farrell plays the famous bad guy Oswald Cobblepot, also known as “The Penguin.” Along with Farrell, Cristin Milioti & Rhenzy Feliz also perform in the show.
Now, let’s look at the places where The Penguin tv show was filmed:
The Penguin Plot Summary
The Penguin is set in the dirty streets of Gotham City and is mostly about how Oswald Cobblepot goes from being a small-time gangster to a major figure in the city’s criminal underworld. He isn’t a good person by any means, he’s incredibly ambitious and gets himself in trouble however that doesn’t stop him. The way it happens in the plot. While Oz is trying to find himself in the criminal world of Gotham, viewers get acquainted with characters both new and old, all with their own agenda and reasons for being where they are.
Aside from what Cobblepot aspires to achieve, the show also depicts the city of Gotham who’s shadows are eerily dominating and morals are too soft to be taken seriously. As Cobblepot tries to maintain his foothold, it appears rest of the world is determined to see him engulfed in grabbling, treachery and everything he has built coming coming crashing down on him. Audiences are introduced to Cobblepot’s close circle like Sofia Falcone who belongs to one of the shrewd families in the crime world: the Falcone family.
The Penguin television series was helmed by Craig Zobel, Jennifer Getzinger, and other gifted individuals. The series transports the audience into a sinister exploration of Gotham in which there is crime, power and betrayal amidst collapsing metropolises, electrifying drama, and astounding plot twists.
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‘The Penguin’ Filming Locations – Where was it Filmed?
The filming locations of The Penguin play a significant role in shaping the show’s atmosphere. From the dark, neon-lit streets of Gotham to the grandeur of crime family mansions, these locations bring the city’s gritty and dangerous world to life. Here’s a look at some of the most iconic filming spots used in the miniseries.
Riverside Drive, West Harlem (Iceberg Lounge Club)
The Iceberg Lounge Club, the famous hangout of Oswald Cobblepot was filmed at Riverside Drive in West Harlem. This location with its grand arches and historical charm, provides the perfect backdrop for Cobblepot’s power play.
Kalina Ivanov, the production designer, shared, “The Iceberg Lounge is where Gotham’s elite come to mingle, and the grandeur of Riverside Drive adds to the sense of power and mystery surrounding Cobblepot. It’s a key location for showing his rise within the city’s criminal underworld.”
Seneca Avenue BMT Station, Ridgewood, Queens (Eve’s Apartment)
One of the most chilling locations in the series is the street where Eve’s apartment is located. Filmed under the Seneca Avenue BMT station in Ridgewood, Queens, this gritty location adds an authentic and dangerous feel to the scenes set in one of Gotham’s darkest areas.
Ivanov explained, “We wanted to capture the raw, unpolished side of Gotham, and Ridgewood’s gritty streets were the perfect setting. It gives the audience a real sense of the danger and desperation that many of Gotham’s residents face.”
27th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, Manhattan (Gotham Diamond District)
The bustling Diamond District of Gotham is brought to life through a filming location on 27th Street in Manhattan. This vibrant urban area known for its fast-paced and sometimes dangerous atmosphere was used to film scenes involving Cobblepot’s fancy apartment.
Director Craig Zobel commented, “The Diamond District in Manhattan helped capture the intensity of Gotham’s business side. It’s a place where wealth and danger mix, which is exactly what we wanted for Cobblepot’s rise.”
La Selva, Upper Brookville, Long Island (The Falcone Mansion)
To depict the grandeur of the Falcone family’s mansion, the production team chose La Selva in Upper Brookville, Long Island. This Italian Renaissance-style mansion served as the perfect backdrop for Sofia Falcone’s world of wealth, power, and manipulation.
Zobel explained, “The mansion’s old-world elegance reflects the power and influence of the Falcone family in Gotham. The location truly captured the opulence that’s integral to the Falcone legacy.”
George Washington Bridge (Gotham City Bridge)
To create Gotham’s iconic cityscape, the production team used the George Washington Bridge. With a digital makeover to add gothic arches and a winged statue, the bridge became Gotham’s city bridge, connecting the city to the fictional “Bristol Township.”
Ivanov mentioned, “Using the George Washington Bridge was crucial to establishing Gotham as a place with both beauty and danger. It’s a symbolic entrance to the world Cobblepot is trying to dominate.”
Kew Gardens Train Station, Queens (Irving Grove Station)
The Kew Gardens Train Station in Queens was transformed into Gotham’s Irving Grove Station, offering a vintage, old-school vibe. This location helped ground the show in a sense of Gotham’s timeless decay.
Production designer Ivanov said, “We wanted the station to feel like a relic from the past, reflecting the idea that Gotham is a city that’s both stuck in its ways and on the brink of chaos.”
Industry City, Brooklyn (Fight Scene Location)
The gritty industrial area of Industry City in Brooklyn was used for one of the most intense fight scenes in the series. This location contributed a feral sense of violence that would be favourable in the depiction of the chaos that constitutes Gotham’s criminal world.
Zobel recalled, “Filming in an industrial area like Industry City added a layer of authenticity. The rough, utilitarian spaces provided a perfect setting for the hard-hitting drama of the series.”
These locations of the film, from slumlands to sumptuous homes, complement each other to make a complex and engaging universe in The Penguin. They enliven the city of Gotham, which is as much a character as Oswald Cobblepot’s gothic and perverse character arc requires it to be.
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