01/08/2023 - Over 1,300 Czech film professionals worked on the high scale operation, an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s stories

The Czech Republic has firmly positioned itself as a key filming destination for international cinema, attracting illustrious production companies such as MGM, Lionsgate, Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+ (read the news). Their high-profile projects ranging from feature films to blockbuster series have been shot across the country. Two standout productions are Amazon’s gothic fantasy, Carnival Row (read the news), and the high fantasy epic, The Wheel of Time (read the news). The league of significant projects in the Czech Republic was further bolstered by the ambitious Apple TV+ adaptation of Isaac Asimov's collection of sci-fi stories, Foundation. Developed for the small screen by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman, the series' second season was predominantly filmed in Prague, which emerged as the primary shooting location. The first season was shot in Malta, Tenerife, and Fuerteventura. Prague previously served as the backdrop for the six-hour sci-fi channel miniseries Dune (2000), a Sci Fi Channel miniseries featuring William Hurt, Saskia Reeve and Alec Newman. The miniseries, Children of Dune (2003), followed in its footsteps, adding to Prague’s growing sci-fi portfolio. Behind the production of the second season of Foundation and both Dune projects is the same Czech production company, Milk & Honey Pictures.

Milk & Honey Pictures initiated pre-production work on the second season of Foundation in March 2021, a process which spanned six months. Filming itself occurred over the course of 74 days, from April to July 2022. The Czech Film Commission disclosed that multiple film crews were engaged in the project, with a cumulative total of 1,800 individuals directly involved in the production. In total, the series provided employment opportunities for more than 4,000 locals, extending beyond filmmaking to incorporate a range of ancillary services. This encompassed sectors such as accommodation, catering, security, and various material and goods suppliers, contributing significantly to the domestic economy. The Czech Film Commission also highlighted the project’s commitment to nurturing local talent. This endeavour was embodied in the inclusion of 30 trainees, providing them with an invaluable opportunity to garner hands-on experience and cultivate new skills within the industry.

In a departure from the filming of Dune (2000), the second season of Foundation forwent the legendary Barrandov Studios, a common choice for projects like Carnival Row, opting instead for Prague Studios. Established in 1999, Prague Studios, with its seven stages offering a combined area of 11,489 m², has housed numerous productions, including shooting of all three seasons of Netflix’s series Haunted, produced by Milk & Honey Production. For the second season of Foundation, the series used an expansive 10,000 m² of studio space, supplemented by an additional 12,000 m², indicative of a large-scale operation. The production called for the design and construction of water-floodable sets, as well as the use of LED Volume technology employing large-format rear LED projectors. The teams tasked with set construction, props, action props, and special effects were composed entirely of Czech film professionals. Notably, the production process saw the increased use of 3D printers for prop creation, enhancing both speed and efficiency. The filming extended beyond Prague Studios to various Czech regions, with notable instances in North Bohemia and North Moravia. The overall expenditure for the production in the Czech Republic totalled CZK 1,618,256,197 (€67,715,778.19), inclusive of production incentives amounting to CZK 304,681,041 (€12,749,349.47).

The third season of Foundation, featuring the cast of Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, and Terrence Mann, commenced filming in Prague in late May, with shooting intended to run through until October. However, the production encountered an unexpected halt due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike. Furthermore, Prague has served as a backdrop for several other notable productions including The Promised Land, a forthcoming feature with Mads Mikkelsen in the lead role, which is poised to premiere at the Venice Film Festival (read the news), and One Life, a biopic centred around Nicholas Winton and starring Anthony Hopkins, which is scheduled to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (read the news). Both films have the Czech capital as their primary shooting location.