Prague production has wrapped on Ride or Die, a new Prime Video spy thriller starring Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer, after six months of filming on location in in the Czech capital. According to multiple sources, the local shoot was officially slated to wrap on June 30, following a production across some of the Prague’s most prominent landmarks and neighborhoods in May and June.
Directed in part by Peyton Reed (Ant-Man) and created by Tessa Coates, Ride or Die pairs Waddingham as Judith, a deadly assassin, with Spencer as Debbie, her unsuspecting best friend, who is pulled into a world of espionage. The eight-episode series was filmed entirely in Prague with location support from Stillking Films.
Final scenes filmed across Prague’s historic center
In the final weeks of production, Ride or Die took over numerous high-traffic locations in Prague’s city center. Filming took place in the vicinity of Hospital Na Františku, as well as streets in Old Town such as Havelská, Rytířská, Melantrichova, and around Ovocný trh. The production also utilized sites in New Town including Petrská Street.
Earlier this month, filming for Ride or Die also took place around Jan Palach Square by the Rudolfinum concert hall. The location also happened to be used for production of the ABC TV series The Rookie, which briefly filmed in Prague’s city center last week.
Other locations utilized for Ride or Die in its final weeks of filming included Mariánské náměstí near Old Town Square, the areas around the National Theatre (Ostrovní and Divadelní Streets), Kampa Park, and the Vltava riverfront in Malá Strana. These spots—often seen doubling for other cities in film—appear to be representing contemporary Prague itself in Ride or Die.
While Prague regularly appears in international productions, it seldom plays itself. Notable exceptions include 1996’s Mission: Impossible and 2022’s The Gray Man. The decision to film across the Czech capital could mark Ride or Die as a unique entry in the city’s long list of screen credits—and showcase contemporary Prague to a global audience.
Big cast, action-heavy production
While Prime Video has yet to release full plot details, the extensive filming across Prague suggests high-stakes, action-driven spy series. Waddingham and Spencer are joined by Bill Nighy, playing a character known as The Director, along with Ed Skrein as Billy Donovan and Sylvia Hoeks as Ana. Additional cast includes Calam Lynch (Bridgerton), Jamie Parker (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and Savannah Steyn (House of the Dragon).
Behind the camera, Peyton Reed directed the first two episodes, while Matt Miller (Lethal Weapon, Chuck) serves as showrunner. The series is produced by Skydance Television in collaboration with Orit Entertainment and Double Dream, the production company helmed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti.
Production on Ride or Die began in January under the working title USW. Over the six-month shoot, the series filmed across multiple Prague districts including Vinohrady, Žižkov, and the Karlín neighborhood. In February, a weekend-long shoot shut down parts of Rohanské nábřeží for a major stunt sequence involving car chases and crashes.
The same Karlín street, lined with modern glass-and-steel developments, had previously hosted Hollywood blockbusters including G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. For Ride or Die, the location may also feature some of Prague’s newer landmarks in this fast-developing area, including David Černý’s Lilith sculpture holding up the Fragment building.
The series is part of a recent wave of high-profile TV productions to take advantage of Prague’s diverse architecture and production infrastructure. In recent years, the city has hosted Blade Runner 2099, AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, and Apple TV+’s Foundation, as well as Amazon’s Carnival Row and The Wheel of Time, among other series.
These projects preceded the implementation of a revised incentives plan in 2025 that increased incentives from 20 percent to 25 percent and raised the cap on per-project rebates to CZK 450 million.
Prime Video has not yet confirmed a release date for Ride or Die, but the high-profile production should premiere sometime in 2026 given its production dates. Additional details about the series will likely be revealed in the coming months now that the Prague shoot has officially wrapped.
Lead photo: Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer at an Amazon event (Instagram/Octavia Spencer); Charles Bridge in Prague (Pexels/Pixabay)
