The World War II satire Jojo Rabbit is set to begin production in Prague as soon as next week, and writer-director Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) is putting together quite the cast for the project.
In addition to the director himself starring as an imaginary version of Adolf Hitler, the film will also star Scarlett Johansson as the mother of a young boy who hides a Jewish girl in their home during the Nazi uprising, as well as Sam Rockwell as a Nazi commander at a Hitler Youth camp.
Now, according to Deadline, Australian comedienne and Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson has joined the cast of Jojo Rabbit as Fraulein Rahm, a brutish officer at the Hitler Youth camp who teaches her subordinates that “Jews are the embodiment of mythical creatures.”
Best known to mainstream audiences for her role in the popular Pitch Perfect franchise, Wilson has also starred in comedies such as Bridesmaids, Bachelorette, How to Be Single, and The Brothers Grimsby.
Her latest film, The Hustle, co-stars Anne Hathaway and will be released stateside later next month and in Prague cinemas from July 26.
Since directing Thor: Ragnarok last year, New Zealand director Waititi has been making waves in the US. His 2014 vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows has been picked up by FX as a 10-episode TV series, while Netflix picked up his $20 million stop-motion biopic about Michael Jackson’s pet chimp, Bubbles, last year.
Waititi has other projects in the works – including a long-gestating live action remake of Akira, but the director has turned his sights on Jojo Rabbit in Prague for now, which has been described as a passion project.
Prague will be the primary filming location for Jojo Rabbit, which is set to commence principal photography from May 28. Local production company Czech Anglo Productions will be coordinating the Prague shoot.
Read more about the production of Jojo Rabbit in Prague here.
Lead photo: Wilson at the premiere of A Few Best Men in Sydney in 2012 via Wikimedia / Rebel Wilson
