The Penguin immersive experience at San Diego Comic-Con Friday evening was evacuated after a fire reportedly broke out in a nearby building.
In videos taken by The Hollywood Reporter staff members on-site, a large crowd of people could be seen being directed to exit the Bloom Nightclub, where the event was taking place, and gathering outside on the street at around 7:30 p.m. Several firetrucks and law enforcement officials were also seen in the area.
The multi-level installation celebrated HBO’s upcoming series, The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell. The fan experience recreates Gotham’s iconic Iceberg Lounge from 2022’s The Batman as well as the upcoming show. The installment features special effects, haptic technology, interactivity and exclusive content.
The evacuation comes less than 24 hours before HBO’s splashy Hall H panel touting the show, a spin-off of The Batman.
“We are incredibly excited to tap into the rich and passionate fanbase in San Diego this year by introducing them to our new series, The Penguin,” Pia Barlow, executive vice president, originals marketing, HBO and Max, said in a statement prior to the installment. “With our in-world activations, fans will have the chance to engross themselves in the underground world of Oz Cobbs’s Gotham, picking up where we left off in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman,’ as we look to generate excitement for the series premiering this September.”
No injuries or additional information surrounding the fire has been released at this point.
THR has reached out to HBO for comment.
More to come.
