Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 1989 comic book series by James O’Barr, ‘The Crow’ is a superhero action movie, with vengeance being the focal point. Under the direction of Rupert Sanders, the fifth movie in the ‘The Crow’ franchise follows two compassionate lovers, Eric Draven and Shelly Webster, who are abducted and killed in front of each other when the latter’s past comes back to haunt them. In an unexpected turn of events, when the opportunity to save the love of his life presents itself, he takes it by sacrificing himself.
With revenge on his mind, Eric returns to haunt the killers as he traverses in and out of the living world to avenge his lover’s death. Led by the powerful performance from Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven/The Crow, the gothic film also stars other talented actors, including FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Josette Simon, and Laura Birn. In order to complement the dark themes of the narrative, relatively darker visuals are used against different kinds of backdrops, raising questions regarding the actual shooting sites of the movie.
The Crow Filming Locations
‘The Crow’ was filmed under the working title ‘Yellow Flower’ across Europe, reportedly in Prague, Bavaria, and London. The shooting took place over the course of a couple of months, starting in July 2022 and concluding in September of the same year. With the tragic shooting death of Brandon Lee on the set of the original 1994 adaptation of ‘The Crow’ in mind, Rupert Sanders, the director of the remake, ensured that all safety measures were taken during filming.
So, Rupert told Variety, “Safety is a number one priority. Film sets are very dangerous. There are fast moving cars with cranes stuck on the top. There are stunt guys falling on high wires down steps. Even just walking around a set at night with rain machines and lights — you’re working in an industrial environment. So it’s dangerous. You have to be safe. The first day I met with the special effects department and the armorer, who was great, in Prague. They were very safety-conscious. They follow all the same guidelines as the military when dealing with weapons, but I didn’t even want to risk that.” In order to have no firing weapons on set, they used Airsoft guns that are functional but don’t have any firing mechanism.
Prague Metropolitan Area, Czech Republic
The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, served as the primary production location for ‘The Crow.’ As per reports, the filming unit utilized the facilities of one of the largest and oldest film studios in Europe — Barrandov Studio. Situated at Kříženeckého nám. 322/5, 152 00 Praha 5-Hlubočepy, the studio is home to a total of nine sound stages, all of which are soundproof, production rooms, dressing rooms, catering areas, and make-up rooms. A series of exterior as well as interior scenes were lensed in and around Rudolfinum, a concert hall located at Alšovo nábř. 79/12 in the town of Staré Město.
Moreover, the Repre – cultural center at nám. Velké mostecké stávky 4 in Most and Palác Živnostenské Banky building served as prominent filming sites. Several key portions of the action-packed movie were also recorded in and around the Praha-Žižkov freight railway station in the Žižkov district of Prague and the National Theatre’s Nová scéna building at Národní 1393 in Nové Město. In other scenes, the locales of Nekázanka Street, Břežanské údolí, Vrané nad Vltavou, and Mšecké Žehrovice also make an appearance.
Bavaria, Germany
To tape a portion of the movie, the cast and crew visited the southeastern part of Germany and particularly set up camp in the Free State of Bavaria for a few weeks. The state is packed with several natural wonders that can take anyone’s breath away. One such location, which was also chosen as a filming site for the Bill Skarsgård starrer, is Penzing. Located in Landsberg am Lech district, the municipality offers scenic sites that showcase captivating German vistas. Moreover, it is also home to Penzing Studios, a former Air Force base turned studio facility that aids in the production of a wide range of films and television shows. It is located exactly at Kauferinger Straße 32/34 in Penzing. The team of ‘The Crow’ utilized the ultra-modern services provided by the studio to carry out the virtual production of the movie.
Driving 40-45 minutes from Penzing, the team took a halt at Munich, where they taped several pivotal sequences. Among other things, the capital city of Bavaria is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and old-world charm. Therefore, it is not surprising that it proved to be an ideal backdrop for the shooting of ‘The Crow.’ Opening up about the filming experience, Skarsgard told The Hollywood Reporter, “I had a great shoot, a lot of night shoots. … You’re kind of preoccupied in a bleak state of mind for a while. I like to be consumed by it when I’m doing it. Actually, we were working out a lot, I found it really helpful. There’s nothing like being tired and sweaty to get the demons out.”
London, England
In order to finish the shooting process, the production team of ‘The Crow’ traveled to London and took over a few spots in the capital of England and the United Kingdom. In the backdrop, you are likely to spot several iconic and popular landmarks and buildings associated with the city, such as the River Thames, the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, and the Big Ben.
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