A late-night sighting of a mysterious vehicle racing through Prague’s Karlín neighborhood last week was part of an international film shoot now underway in the Czech Republic. According to reporting from iDnes.cz, the futuristic prototype car—initially the subject of online speculation—was tied to a production operating under the working name Golm, later identified in city documents as The Prototype.
The project, backed by German studio Neusuper in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios, is currently filming sequences at locations in Prague and the Central Bohemian region. Public documents from Prague City Hall revealed temporary traffic closures requested by Film Makers, the local production company handling the shoot.
Additional photographs and video captured by iDnes.cz showed other vehicles with German license plates and crew members speaking German, suggesting a largely German-led production. Production in Prague’s Karlín neighborhood took place around the Fragment building (pictured at top), dominated by David Černý’s Lilith statue, and adjacent areas around Invalidovna. The recent Prime Video series Ride or Die shot around the same location earlier in the year.
A developing sci-fi thriller with international backing
Deadline reports that The Prototype is a high-concept sci-fi thriller directed by Dennis Gansel, whose credits include the WWII dramas Before the Fall and The Wave. According to the publication, the film is slated for a 2026 release on Prime Video, with producers Simon Amberger, Korbinian Dufter, Rafael Parente, Tore Schmidt, Gunter Hanfgarn, Andrea Ufer and Angelina Maron attached.
The screenplay is by Colin Teevan, Bernd Heiber, and Peter Kocyla. Sebastian Krawinkel serves as production designer, while Frank Kaminski oversees VFX—an indication of the film’s emphasis on advanced technology, embodied most visibly in the enigmatic car that drew attention during the Prague shoot.
According to early loglines, the story follows a car thief assigned to steal the most advanced vehicle ever created. When the car’s secret artificial intelligence awakens, the narrative’s central question becomes “who is actually stealing whom?” The sophisticated vehicle spotted in Karlín appears to be a practical manifestation of this plot element.
The working title The Prototype may yet change ahead of release. Deadline reports that the name is not final, and the sleek “Kaiser” concept car that appeared on Prague streets could ultimately feature in a film released under a different title.
Director Gansel returns to Prague
The Prototype marks Gansel’s return to the Czech Republic following his previous project Der Tiger, a WWII drama shot extensively in Prague and across Czech regions in late 2023. Der Tiger opened in German cinemas in September before streaming globally on Prime Video later this year.
Set on the Eastern Front in 1943, Der Tiger follows a five-man Tiger tank crew on a clandestine mission behind enemy lines. The film explores the psychological and moral disintegration of its characters, aligning with Gansel’s ongoing interest in war-era stories and the forces that shape individual behavior.
The production filmed 36 days in the Czech Republic, using locations across Bohemia and stages at Barrandov Studio. Amazon MGM Studios framed the film as part of its strategy to build a stronger slate of German originals, including limited theatrical releases.
With The Prototype, Prague now plays host to a very different type of story: one rooted in near-future technology rather than historical reconstruction. The city continues to accommodate high-profile international shoots to operate efficiently, even when involving unconventional on-set elements such as a one-of-a-kind concept car or the kind of practical special effects work employed by Resident Evil.
Recent international film projects based in Prague underscores the Czech Republic’s appeal as a location for both historical and contemporary international productions. Its combination of adaptable urban areas, accessible landscapes, and experienced local crews has attracted filmmakers working across genres—from Hollywood war dramas like Anthropoid and Jojo Rabbit to European productions such as Blood & Gold and Blood Red Sky.
