15. August 2025
Blade Runner 2099, Foundation, and City of Blood - the three most significant international projects that filmed in the Czech Republic in 2024, bringing billions of crowns in inward investments. What other international titles were filmed here?
Courtesy of Apple
According to the Audiovisual Producers' Association (APA), inward investment in the Czech Republic totaled CZK 5.5 billion (EUR 220 million) last year, about 40% less than the 2023 record of CZK 9.2 billion (EUR 368 million). Last year’s spending is on par with the pre-COVID era; however, as inward investment reached CZK 5.7 billion (EUR 228 million) in 2020. It should be added that a certain decline in production volume is a global issue that has affected not only other European centers for foreign services, but also Hollywood itself, which is the main source of inward investments for Czech audiovisual production.
There is good news on the horizon, though: starting in January 2025, the Czech Republic boosted its basic incentive to 25%, while animated and digitally produced projects can now receive up to 35%. The cap for a single incentive project has also been raised from CZK 150 million to CZK 450 million (EUR 6 million to EUR 18 million). These changes open the doors to larger and more ambitious projects, making the Czech Republic more competitive again.
Despite the dip in production volume, the country remained a popular destination for international productions last year. In addition to Blade Runner and Foundation, numerous other series and films were shot here, with Germany being one of the most active partners alongside the US and the UK.
Blade Runner 2099, the continuation of the famous sci-fi saga for Amazon Prime Video (produkction: Alcon Entertainment), is one of the most ambitious projects ever filmed in the Czech Republic. Serviced by Veronika Lencová’s Film United, the production completely took over Barrandov Studios and the surrounding lots. During two main filming periods –July through August and September through November – it transformed parts of the Czech Republic into a dark, dystopian future. With 93 days of filming and a CZK 1.8 billion (EUR 72 million) investment, this project is one of the most expensive in the history of Czech audiovisual production.
The series captures the atmosphere of the cult films by Ridley Scott and Denis Villeneuve, whose Blade Runner 2049 was the direct predecessor. Jonathan van Tulleken (Shōgun, Dope Thief) helmed the production, while Silka Luisa (Shining Girls, Halo) handled the screenplay and showrunning. The series stars a talented cast featuring Michelle Yeoh, Hunter Schafer, Dimitri Abold, and Lewis Gribben.
Beyond Barrandov and various Prague locations, filming also took place at notable industrial and natural sites, such as the Mayrau Mining Museum, the Mělník power plant, the Slapy reservoir, and the town of Jablonec. Many Czech professionals were involved in the production. Art directors Jan Hák (The Wheel of Time) and Jiří Karásek led the set design, while Aneta Cejková and Pavla Frýdová were among those who crafted the visual style of the characters.
Big names were also involved in another sci-fi production – the third season of Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s classic novels. This Skydance Television and Apple TV+ project, with Czech production service from Milk and Honey Pictures, spent nearly 100 days filming in the Czech Republic in 2024. The project invested over CZK 800 million (EUR 32 million).
Under the guidance of directors Chris Byrne, Tim Southam, and Roxann Dawson, extensive scenes were shot both at Prague Studios and on location, including the Homolák quarry in the Central Bohemian Region and the area around Kalk in the Ústí nad Labem Region.
The Foundation series has become a fixture in the Czech Republic, with the second season also filmed here in 2021 (the filmmakers spent CZK 1,6 billion). The fourth season is set to begin filming this fall.
Courtesy of Apple
The German horror series City of Blood, produced for Disney+ with a budget of nearly CZK 400 million (EUR 16 million), ranked as the third most expensive international project of the year. The dark eight-part series was directed by Philipp Kadelbach, known for his work on Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter (Generation War). Filming took place from May to September at an impressive 110 locations across the Czech Republic, including major cities like Prague, Brno, Ústí nad Labem, Chomutov, and Kladno as well as smaller towns such as Trmice, Soutice, Lahovice and Benešov. Production was handled by Sirena Films, a company that has a long and successful history with German partners.
From shooting of City of Blood
Julie Vrabelová Disney+
The second season of the historical series The Empress for Netflix was another visually ambitious international production filmed in the Czech Republic. The series, which tells the story of young Elisabeth of Bavaria, who would become Empress Sissi, once again took advantage of historical Czech locations, including Kutná Hora, the chateaus of Kačina and Jemniště, the Voděrady beechwood forest, and various spots in Prague.
The production, handled by MIA Film in partnership with Germany's Sommerhaus Filmproduktionen, spanned 87 days between September 2023 and February 2024, of which 21 days took place last year. Directed by Maximilian Erlenwein, Barbara Ott, and Katharina Eyssen, the season had a budget of CZK 364 million (EUR 14.5 million).
The Empress
MIA FILM, Sommerhaus Filmproduktionen
In addition to big-budget sci-fi and historical dramas, the Czech Republic also attracted several smaller, genre-diverse productions – from crime thrillers to romantic comedies and fairy tales. Their common link is a shared trust among producers in the Czech film industry, the availability of skilled professionals, and a wide variety of authentic locations.
One of the notable German film projects was the action thriller Brick, which was shot in Prague, including at Barrandov Studios. Philip Koch directed and Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee starred in the production, a collaboration between Wiedemann & Berg and the Czech company Wilma Film. During its forty shooting days (from January 29 to March 22), the production spent over CZK 180 million (EUR 7.2 million).
A completely different kind of project was the two-part period miniseries Ein Ort, der sich Zuhause nennt (A Place Called Home) from Bantry Bay Productions. The story, which follows a designer named Lisette who rebels against social norms and the dictates of female fashion trends in the early 20th century, was filmed from September to November 2024, utilizing historical locations such as Mělník, Průhonice, Karlovy Vary, and the Invalidovna complex in Prague. The production, also handled by Wilma Film, spent CZK 123.5 million (EUR 5 million).
Brick
Netflix
Ein Ort, der sich Zuhause nennt (A Place Called Home)
Zuzana Panska Bantry Bay Production
Germany’s passion for crime dramas was evidenced by the filming of several popular series sequels. Two new episodes of the Zürich Krimi (Money. Murder. Zurich.) series – Borchert und die Glut des Bösen and Borchert und der Schlüssel zum Mord – were shot in the autumn of 2024. The production, a collaboration between Graf Film and MIA Film, spent CZK 56.9 million (EUR 2.3 million) at various locations, including Pardubice Airport and Prague's Na Homolce Hospital.
Another project, the thrilling TV film Ingo Thiel 7 – Die Frau Ohne Gesicht (The Woman Without a Face), was inspired by real criminal cases. Directed by Christine Hartmann and starring Heino Ferch, the film was shot over sixteen days in November 2024, with most of the filming taking place in and around Prague. Production costs for the project reached nearly CZK 26 million (EUR 1.1 million).
An original addition to the year's slate was the German mockumentary series Messiah, chronicling the fictional rise and fall of a 90s Eurodance star. Filming took place from October to December in and around Prague, with the production by Keshet Fiction Germany in partnership with Film Kolektiv spending CZK 36.5 million (EUR 1.46 million).
Fans of fairytales will enjoy the German film Sleeping Beauty and the Curse of the Seventh Fairy (Rosabella), a loose adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story. Directed by Ngo The Chau, the film was shot in March, taking advantage of historical backdrops in Telč, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, and Sychrov. The production, a collaboration between Provobis Film & Fernsehen and MIA Film, cost nearly CZK 40 million (EUR 1.6 million).
The German romantic comedy Petra geht baden, directed by Rainer Kaufmann, is a nostalgic tale about second chances. Filmed at various rural and recreational locations, including the Orlík Dam, Karlštejn, and Milovice, its production cost totalled nearly CZK 24 million (EUR 1 million).
Messiah
Keshet Fiction Germany
Rosabella
Provobis
We are happy that the Czech Republic maintained its reputation as a top filming destination in Europe. The year 2024 highlighted a remarkable diversity in genre and production, spanning from high-budget sci-fi and historical series to smaller crime, romance, and family-oriented projects. With new, increased incentives that began in 2025, the country is expected to once again aim for record-breaking production seasons.
The Czech Republic once again proved that its cinematic potential goes far beyond Prague's studios. The year 2024 saw a vibrant mix of locations used for filming, from industrial complexes and historic palaces to stunning natural landscapes. Filmmakers were particularly impressed by the country's diversity, as well as the relative accessibility and robust infrastructure.
The sci-fi production Blade Runner 2099 needed backdrops for its dystopian future setting and found them in the Czech Republic's industrial brownfields. Filming locations included the Mayrau Mining Museum near Kladno, the Mělník power plant, the Slapy reservoir, the city of Jablonec, and other unique spots in the Central Bohemian and Liberec regions. The project was a major undertaking, with the entire Barrandov Studios complex completely filled with futuristic sets for several months.
The horror series City of Blood for Disney took full advantage of the diversity of Czech cities and towns. The crew filmed in a wide range of locations, from major hubs like Prague, Ústí nad Labem, and Brno, to smaller towns such as Chomutov, Králův Dvůr, Benešov, Lysá nad Labem, Kladno, Kostelec nad Černými lesy, and Soutice.
German crime dramas, including Zürich Krimi and Ingo Thiel 7, featured key locations such as Pardubice Airport and Prague's Na Homolce Hospital, as well as several other spots in Prague, such as Radotín, Senovážné Square, the Jalta Hotel, and the Czech Television building on Kavčí hory.
Historical and period productions, such as the second season of Netflix's The Empress and the German film Ein Ort, der sich Zuhause nennt (A Place Called Home), relied on a mix of established, iconic locations. These included notable sites like Kutná Hora, the chateaus of Kačina and Jemniště, the Voděrady beechwood forest, Karlovy Vary, Prague's Invalidovna and Gabriel Loci complexes, Lukov Chateau, and Průhonice Park. Meanwhile, the fairy tale Rosabella (Sleeping Beauty and the Curse of the Seventh Fairy) used the impressive backdrops of chateaus and parks in Telč, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, Dobříš, Sychrov, and the ruins at Zvířetice.
For the Foundation series, filmmakers used a variety of striking locations, such as the Homolák quarry in the Central Bohemian Region and the village of Kalek in the Ústí nad Labem Region, whose surroundings provided a raw, almost alien-looking landscape. Meanwhile, the summer comedy Petra geht baden (Petra Goes Swimming) took a different approach, filming at various Czech ponds, campgrounds, and reservoirs. The crew visited scenic spots like Orlík, Karlštejn, Velká Amerika, Kozárovice, Týřovice, Loučeň, and the Milovice Tankodrom.
In 2024, Prague solidified its status as a key production hub, thanks to both its major studios (Barrandov and Prague Studios) and its incredible architectural versatility. The city provided essential scenes for all three of the year's biggest productions: Blade Runner 2099, Foundation, and City of Blood. The German mockumentary series Messiah also used Prague’s diverse landscape, filming in modern and retro spots like Studio Pokrok, Jesenice, Jíloviště, and various interiors in the greater metropolitan area.
Throughout the year, Czech locations demonstrated their remarkable versatility, successfully standing in for a post-apocalyptic megacity, a 19th-century Alpine castle, a mysterious German town, a space colony, and a suburban Berlin restaurant. Regionally, Prague saw the most filming days, followed by the Central Bohemian Region and the Ústí nad Labem Region. A notable trend is the sharp increase in interest in industrial brownfields, such as power plants, warehouses, and abandoned factories, which are perfectly suited for sci-fi and thriller genres. For international film crews, the Czech Republic remains a unique destination.
Its compact mix of history, industry, and nature all within a short distance continues to be a highly valued asset in Europe.
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