New York has been transformed into the iconic Gotham City by the creators and production team of The Penguin. The miniseries focusing on the notorious and evil Osawald Cobbblepot, known as Penguin has finally made its way to HBO. The first episode was released on September 19, 2024, and opened just a week after the events of Robert Pattinson's The Batman.
Since fans and viewers won't see the Caped Crusader, Colin Farrell's Penguin will ensure maximum mayhem in Gotham City. The Penguin is mainly filmed around locations in New York, some of which include Whitestone, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.
The miniseries will feature Penguin's rise to power as his most hated rival and crime lord Carmine Falcone is dead. However, we have Carmine's daughter Sofia Falcone, with whom Penguin grabbed a meal. The restaurant featured in the HBO mini-series is another location in New York, where the production team exercised creativity.
Exploring the filming locations of The Penguin in New York
As previously mentioned, the creators of The Penguin extensively utilized various famous spots in New York to craft Gotham City and its iconic locations for the miniseries. So, if you've been wondering about OZ's apartment, Sofia's grand mansion, and other locations, here's the list to explore the filming locations:
1) Riverside Drive in West Harlem
Located at the western edge of Manhattan, New York City, the Iceberg Lounge Club in The Penguin was captured here. This location was a crucial part of the series as Penguin's base operations in the comic also took place in the same club.
2) La Selva
La Selva is where fans will see the grand Falcone mansion in The Penguin. This location perfectly captured the influence of the crime family and how majestic the Falcones love to pretend.
The 1981 villa in Long Island is known for its historical significance, and utilizing it as the Falcone mansion symbolizes its value. Since only one episode of Farrell's show has premiered, viewers will see more of Sofia's home in upcoming parts.
3) Hawksmoor, New York City
Know as the famous restaurant St Augustine in The Penguin, this is actually a steakhouse inside the United Charities Building. Similar to the previous location, Hawksmoor is also recognized for its charm and history.
Carmine Falcone's daughter Sofia and Penguin were captured having lunch at the restaurant, with Oz keeping only one motive in mind. The filming location added to the elegance of the Gotham City crafted for the spin-off series in New York.
4) Diamond District, New York
The famous Diamond District is too advanced to directly capture a scene for a less fashionable Gotham. So, the production team utilized the 27th street of the location to feature the Diamond District of Gotham City.
While speaking about the filming locations for HBO's latest show, production designer Kalina Ivanov told Timeout:
"We created our own little jewellery store in slightly bigger buildings that had bigger lofts. I had the idea that the Penguin would build his loft inside a jewellery repair shop"
The designer explored the history of the location which often helps in finding the best filming location for a film or TV series. This location in New York is a globally recognized place to buy and sell diamonds and holds significance in crafting the history of the city.
Other key locations where Colin Farrell's The Penguin was filmed
Other filming locations in New York City to capture Gotham includes:
The 27th Street: This location between the Sixth and Seventh Avenues was used in filming the titular character's apartment. The exterior of OZ's apartment featured in The Batman spin-off symbolizes his rising empire in Gotham City.
Kew Gardens train station: This station is located in Queens, New York, and was featured as the Irving Grove Station in the spin-off series. The Kew Gardens train station is among the oldest stations in the city and is known for its appealing old architecture.
Hewes Street subway station: During the ending scenes of The Penguin episode 1, viewers can see Buddy’s Corner Mart, which is actually the subway station in Brooklyn.
South Bronx: This location was used to highlight the slum where Penguin grew up. The character's past is often described as traumatizing due to OZ's appearance and financial struggles.
The Penguin is streaming on HBO.
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