Karel Čapek’s satirical science fiction novel War with the Newts (Válka s Mloky) is heading to the big screen in a new Czech feature film now in postproduction, marking a significant screen adaptation of one of the country’s most internationally recognized literary works. The novel, first published in the mid-1930s and widely regarded as a prescient allegory of technological exploitation and societal complacency, continues to resonate nearly nine decades later.
The upcoming film version of War with the Newts, directed by Aurel Klimt, is a partially animated, mixed-media production that blends live-action performance with stylized animation and digitally generated characters. Producers say the aim is to make Čapek’s complex narrative more accessible to contemporary audiences while preserving its satirical edge and visual imagination.
Set for theatrical release on Nov. 5, 2026, the project has been in development for roughly eight years and represents a Czech-Slovak-Croatian co-production involving multiple European partners. The film is currently in postproduction.
A long-gestating adaptation of a literary classic
The source material, War with the Newts, is among Čapek’s most enduring works and is frequently cited as a landmark of 20th-century satirical science fiction. The novel explores the discovery of an intelligent species of salamander-like creatures and the rapid commercialization and exploitation that follows, eventually spiraling into global consequences driven by human greed, nationalism, and industrial expansion.
The film adaptation, while rooted in Čapek’s narrative, is described by its creators as a free interpretation rather than a strict retelling. The story centers on Captain Vantoch, a key figure in the early discovery and interaction with the newts, and expands on his perspective as human and commercial interests begin to shape the creatures’ fate.
According to production materials, War with the Newts’ thematic focus mirrors the novel’s original concerns, particularly the tension between scientific discovery, economic ambition, and ethical responsibility. The character of G. H. Bondy, a powerful international businessman, represents the commercial forces that see the newts as an opportunity for industrial expansion, while Vantoch approaches them initially as seemingly harmless and useful companions.
Producers have emphasized that the film retains the novel’s satirical tone while incorporating visual and narrative elements designed for modern audiences. The production also marks the 90th anniversary of the book’s first publication, underscoring its continued cultural relevance.
Hybrid filmmaking, cast and international production scope
The film is being produced as a hybrid of live-action cinema and animation, combining traditional performance with digitally constructed environments and characters. Much of the visual style is built around a deliberately layered aesthetic, incorporating photographic material, hand-drawn elements, and computer-generated imagery.
One of the central innovations is the portrayal of the newts themselves. The character Andy, one of the key newt figures, is performed through a combination of voice acting and motion-based reference work by actor Petr Čtvrtníček, whose facial expressions and physical gestures serve as the foundation for the character’s animated form. Čtvrtníček also appears in the film in live-action form as a German ambassador, further blending his involvement across mediums.
Jaroslav Dušek plays Captain Vantoch, while Robert Nebřenský portrays G. H. Bondy. The ensemble cast also includes more than 30 Czech, Slovak, and Croatian actors in supporting and episodic roles, among them Miroslav Hanuš, Jakub Žáček, David Vávra, Jan Révai, Jaroslav Plesl, and Karel Dobrý, alongside Slovak and Croatian performers.
War with the Newts was shot across several countries, including locations in Czechia, Slovakia, and Croatia. Key filming sites include the Croatian island of Susak, which serves as the fictional Devil Bay where humans first encounter the newts. Additional scenes were filmed in spa towns such as Trenčianske Teplice, as well as institutional and architectural landmarks in Bratislava and Prague, including university auditoriums, historic buildings, and studio facilities in the Prague area.
Visually, the film employs a combination of 2D cutout-style animation and 3D digital rendering for the newt characters, while environments are constructed from archival imagery and stylized set extensions. The production team has described this approach as a way to merge live performance with illustrated and photographic worlds, creating a unified but intentionally artificial visual language.
Cinematography is handled by Radek Loukota, a frequent collaborator of Klimt, while the score is composed by Slovak composer Vladimír Martinka. The film is produced by Studio Zvon and In Film Praha, with co-production partners including Czech Television, Slovak Television and Radio, and several regional production companies.
As War with the Newts moves through postproduction, it stands as one of the more ambitious Czech literary adaptations in recent years, both in scale and in its attempt to reinterpret a canonical work through contemporary hybrid filmmaking techniques.
