Prague’s Holešovice neighborhood became a scene straight out of a horror movie over the weekend, as the production of Resident Evil transformed parts of Prague 7 into a chaotic, snow- and blood-covered urban battleground. From Nov. 14–17, filmmakers occupied Přístavní Street for nighttime shoots that included wrecked vehicles, artificial snow, and practical gore effects, temporarily closing the street between Komunardů and Osadní.
The shoot represents one of the more extensive Prague sequences for Zach Cregger’s reboot of the franchise, following earlier production in Karlín and other Czech locations. Like previous shoots, Prague’s streets doubled for the fictional U.S. locale of Raccoon City, with American-style signage, props, and license plates carefully staged along the set. Residents and passersby were met with a carefully orchestrated mix of chaos and cinematic illusion.
Prague’s role as a versatile stand-in for North American cities continues to attract major international productions, with Resident Evil drawing on the city’s architectural diversity and production infrastructure. Cregger’s series reboot, supported locally by Stillking Films, seeks to recapture the survival-horror tone of the original Capcom video games, placing characters in tense, virus-ravaged urban environments.
Prague streets turned into a zombie battlefield
During the Holešovice shoot on Resident Evil, the production covered the entire stretch of Přístavní Street in artificial snow, with white snow created entirely from paper becoming drenched with fake blood in areas depicting violent confrontations.
Burned-out vehicles and wrecked cars lined the street, most with Colorado license plates, while practical gore effects were scattered across the scene. Pedestrians navigating the area had to watch their steps carefully to avoid stray pieces of fake gore.
At one end of the street, a massive camera jib with an oversized light illuminated the set, emphasizing the nighttime chaos central to the scene. Production designers recreated American streets in minute detail: post boxes, signage, and fake businesses such as Belle’s Collectibles, Jackson’s Bait & Tackle, Trash Panda Tacos, and Raccoon City Savings appeared alongside an happy cameo from real-life Prague tattoo parlor Hell.
Preparations for the shoot began on Nov. 12–13, with temporary closures of parking spaces along Přístavní and adjacent streets, followed by nightly filming from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. The production wrapped up the final cleanup on November 17, with minor street occupation continuing until Nov. 20.
Prague’s ongoing role in international productions
Czechia has a long history of hosting large-scale Hollywood productions, and Resident Evil continues this trend. Stillking Films manages the local logistics, drawing on experience from previous projects such as The Gray Man, Extraction II, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The production benefits from Czech financial support, including an allocated CZK 191 million (approximately USD 9.1 million) from the Czech Audiovisual Fund, contributing to a total local spend estimated at CZK 764 million (USD 36 million).
Director Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian and Weapons, directs the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Shay Hatten, with cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, whose past collaborations include Ridley Scott’s films and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Austin Abrams (The Walking Dead, Weapons) leads the cast as a courier tasked with delivering an antidote in a city ravaged by infection. The ensemble also features Zach Cherry (Severance), Kali Reis (True Detective), Johnno Wilson (Twisted Metal), and Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird, Richard Jewell).
Following action-heavy sequences in Karlín two weeks back, Prague’s Holesovice shoot further illustrates the city’s adaptability as a major production hub. Nighttime filming, practical effects, and detailed set design combine to recreate a U.S.-style urban landscape convincingly for international audiences, reaffirming the Czech capital’s growing reputation as a key destination for global film production.
Resident Evil is slated for U.S. release on Sept. 18, 2026, with principal photography continuing in Prague and other Czech locations through January.
