007 Deserts The Czech Republic

Variety today reports that Eon Productions have informed Prague’s Barrandov Studios – base of last year’s hit, Casino Royale – that their services would not be required for the next James Bond film. Eon cited the lack of financial incentives in the Czech Republic as the reason for not returning.

Instead, 007 will return to Pinewood Studios, England, where many a Bond film has been shot.

Barrandov Studios in Prague

Vladimir Kuba, head of Barrandov Studios, was told by Eon that while Prague “was wonderful”, the decision not to film there was a financial one. Kuba said, “We received it from the Bond producers in black and white. They reportedly regret it … but the budget decided it.”

The decision comes as a blow to the Czech film industry, which is beginning to somewhat flag. As the government seems increasingly unwilling to fund homegrown films, foreign production spending has dropped by over one-third since 2003. The James Bond franchise is the second to pull out of Barrandov Studios in recent times; producers of Hellboy 2: The Golden Army decided not to re-use the studios, which hosted production of the series’ first picture.

Eon Productions declined to comment to Variety on which other shooting locations would feature in Bond 22.