4. Newark Paramount Theater

© 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise

Many of the scenes that look the most “Gotham” are actually filmed in Newark, for that mix of gritty old New York City that has mostly disappeared. Storefronts were changed to look like New York City stores like a version of Papaya King, the famous hot dog and papaya drink store, and windows were painted over temporarily in graffiti to mimic a 1980s version of the city.

In a formative scene, Joker is working as a clown in front of the Newark Paramount Theater when he gets chased and beat down in an alley. This appears to be one of the final straws for Joker, setting the sequence of events that will unfold in the movie.

The Newark Paramount was originally built as a vaudeville theater, and later converted into a movie theater by famous theater designer Thomas Lamb. There are plans to convert this space into an entertainment complex, demolishing the interior itself but keeping the front marquee and facade.