Barrandov Studio has expanded its production facilities with the opening of two new sound stages, marking the completion of a CZK 210 million ($9.8 million) investment aimed at increasing capacity for both domestic and international productions.
The new stages, officially inaugurated on June 29, bring the Prague studio complex to 18 sound stages across its Barrandov and Hostivař campuses. The expansion comes as demand for high-end production space remains strong, even as uncertainty surrounds the Czech Republic’s film incentive system after the Czech Audiovisual Fund temporarily suspended new incentive registrations for 2026.
The investment also forms part of a broader modernization strategy that will allow Barrandov Studio to renovate some of its oldest facilities while maintaining ongoing production activity. According to the studio, the first projects will begin filming in the new stages as early as July.
Expansion adds capacity while preparing for future modernization
The newly completed Stages 11 and 12 each provide more than 1,200 square meters (approximately 12,900 square feet) of soundproof shooting space with a ceiling height of 12.3 meters. Designed to accommodate large-scale film and television productions, the facilities include steel catwalks surrounding the stages, freight elevators capable of lifting up to 2,000 kilograms, and reinforced concrete floors that can support loads of up to 1,000 kilograms per square meter.
The stages also feature built-in smoke extraction systems for special effects, modern ventilation capable of rapidly exchanging air during production, and approximately 1,000 square meters of adjoining support space. That includes production offices, makeup and costume rooms, catering facilities, climate-controlled work areas, parking, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Barrandov Studio CEO Petr Tichý said the project represents another phase in the long-term redevelopment of the historic studio complex.
“The cost of this investment was CZK 210 million, and following previous projects—including a new costume and props building, reconstruction of the former film laboratories, and construction of a new workshop facility—it represents another planned step in the development of the Barrandov campus,” Tichý said during the opening ceremony.
The expansion serves a practical purpose beyond increasing capacity. With the new stages now operational, Barrandov Studio can begin renovating Stages 5, 6, and 7—known internally as the “New Halls” despite having been constructed during World War II—without significantly disrupting productions already booked at the facility. The studio estimates that renovation project will require an additional investment of around CZK 180 million.
According to Barrandov Studio, its majority owner, Moravia Steel, has supported approximately CZK 1 billion in investments across the studio complex over the past decade, with further upgrades planned in the coming years.
Strong production demand amid incentive uncertainty
The expansion comes at a time when Prague continues to attract major international film and television projects, although the country’s production sector is navigating uncertainty surrounding government support.
Tichý said interest in the new facilities exceeded available capacity before construction was even completed. The first tenants scheduled to move into the stages in July include both a commercial production and a major international television series that he said would also be familiar to Czech audiences.
“The demand for production facilities at Barrandov has certainly not declined,” Tichý said. “Interest in the new stages existed before they were even completed.”
At the same time, he acknowledged the challenges facing the Czech audiovisual industry after the State Audiovisual Fund temporarily halted new applications for the country’s film incentive program for 2026.
“I hope that despite the current complicated situation, we will be able to maintain the continued interest of international filmmakers in the Czech Republic,” Tichý said.
The additional capacity reinforces Barrandov Studio‘s position as one of Central Europe’s largest production hubs. Following the expansion, the company now operates 14 stages at its main Barrandov campus and four additional stages in Prague’s Hostivař district. Together, the facilities offer more than 13,000 square meters of sound stage space, alongside approximately 60,000 square meters of production support facilities.
The Barrandov campus also includes a 160,000-square-meter outdoor backlot capable of accommodating large exterior sets, including standing medieval and Parisian street sets that have been used by numerous international productions.
Founded nearly a century ago, Barrandov Studio has long been one of Europe’s best-known production facilities, hosting Czech filmmaking alongside international feature films and television series. The opening of Stages 11 and 12 represents the latest effort to modernize that infrastructure while preserving the studio’s ability to compete for large-scale productions in an increasingly competitive European market.
