Marvel’s ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Gets the Green Light to Resume Production in Prague

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Carnival Row, and other American productions that film in the Czech Republic will not be subject to the European Union’s new coronavirus travel ban. According to Variety, the head of the Czech Republic’s film commission has assured Hollywood studios that “filmmakers of all nations are welcome,” regardless of the EU’s restrictions. The relaxed policy is good news for Marvel and Amazon, as both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Carnival Row are planning to resume production in the coming months.

In a letter sent to major studios and shared with Variety, Czech Film Commission boss Pavlína Žipková writes that the EU’s new travel policy, which bans travelers from the United States, Brazil, and China, will not apply to those working on film and TV projects in the country. “In relation to the EU declaring a travel ban on the U.S., please let me assure you this is not valid for economic workers but tourism travellers only,” writes Žipková.

Cast and crew members on these projects will be required to obtain two documents: a Confirmation of Performance of Economic Activities in the Interest of the Czech Republic form signed by the Culture Minister, and a Declaration Concerning Arrival of a Foreign Crew Member document from the Czech Film Fund director.

Marvel standalone series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Amazon’s Carnival Row are two of the most prominent series currently filming in the Czech Republic. Variety reports that both productions were filming in Prague when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread, and they quickly shut down to protect cast and crew members. As Europe’s outlook continues to improve, both series are hoping to resume filming in the near future, and Žipková’s assurances give them the green light to do so.

Both Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Carnival Row are co-produced by Stillking, a Czech production company. David Minkowski, the studio’s head of production, tells Variety that in the wake of Žipková’s letter, he has received an influx of calls from Hollywood producers interested in relocating their productions to Prague, Budapest, or Bucharest.

Minkowski told Variety that he understands this impulse. “They are looking for safe havens from [what would otherwise be] hot spots in the U.S. and also certain European countries,” he said.