06/12/2021 - Foreign productions are re-energising the Czech audiovisual industry, which has recovered to a record-breaking level despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

Netflix is starting to shoot the sequel to its most-watched original film, the action thriller Extraction, in Prague. The production starring Chris Hemsworth in the leading role will continue until mid-March 2022, and shooting will also take place outside the Czech capital in adjoining regions. The producers of Extraction 2, Joe and Anthony Russo, previously helmed Netflix’s most expensive production to date, The Gray Man (read the news), which was also partially shot in Prague. The director of the first Extraction, Sam Hargrave, maintains his directing duties on the second instalment.

The production was originally scheduled to be set in Australia but has had to relocate due to severe COVID-19 regulations. The Czech Republic was the first country to adopt health and safety protocols in the wake of the global pandemic and restarted film productions last year. The measures have been strengthened in September before the third wave in order to prevent disruptions to film and series production. The Czech national film commissioner Pavlína Žipková confirmed to Cineuropa that the Extraction 2 film crew will spend 66 shooting days in the country, spending almost 2 billion Czech crowns (€78,6 million). "It is a feature film with the highest spending in the Czech Republic," she adds. Domestic pyrotechnics, armourers and stuntmen are involved in the production while the Czech national film commissioner added that the creative team includes experienced international professionals such as make-up artists, costume designers, and set and prop designers. Curiously enough, the Czech Republic won't be portraying itself but other countries, namely Austria, Georgia, and Armenia.

The Czech audiovisual industry has managed to return to its 2019, pre-COVID record-breaking level (read the news). Darren Lynn Bousman recently wrapped shooting in the Czech Republic on his latest horror film The Cello starring Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell. Netflix and Amazon remain the biggest spenders (read the news), with the Amazon series Carnival Row being the most expensive project to date, although the gothic fantasy series will soon be surpassed by the streamer's second season of The Wheel of Time which will wrap shooting in March 2022. The projected spending of the high fantasy second season in the country is 1,7 billion Czech crowns (€66 984 250).

More high-end series will head to the Czech Republic next year, including the second season of sci-fi series Foundation for Apple TV+ or Thomas Vinterberg's television debut, a 6-part family saga titled Families Like Ours [+see also:
series review
interview: Thomas Vinterberg
series profile] alongside Václav Marhoul's (The Painted Bird [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Václav Marhoul
film profile]) first English-speaking film McCarthy starring Michael Shannon and Emilia Clarke.