First pictures of Jan Žižka biopic unveiled

Prague, Czech Republic – First pictures from the set of Medieval, the upcoming Czech action historical drama by Petr Jákl about the life of Jan Žižka, have been unveiled, with American actor Ben Foster starring as the Bohemian military commander alongside Michael Caine, William Moseley and Til Schweiger. Czech actors Ondřej Vetchý, Marek Vašut and Jan Budař will also appear in the film.

Shooting began in September near Prague. With a budget of half a billion crowns (nearly 20 million euros), Medieval, produced by Hollywood’s Cassian Elwes, is expected to be the most expensive movie in Czech film history, surpassing Jan Sverák’s 2002 Second World Word epic, Dark Blue World. According to Deadline, backers include the Czech Film Fund, the Prague Film Fund, Creative Europe, with additional support coming from the Middle Bohemia Region, the Capital City of Prague and the President of the Senate of Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Alongside Hell or High Water star Ben Foster, who will play the starring role, two-times Oscar winning British actor Michael Caine will play Lord Borš, the right hand of King Václav IV. German actor Til Schweiger and British actor William Mosely have also been cast with the dauting role of playing Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund falling into the lap of Matthew Goode.

Set prior to the Hussite Wars when Žižka was young, the English-language movie tells the story of how he became the famous military commander who went on to defeat armies of the Teutonic Order and of the Holy Roman Empire. According to reports, the movie will also focus on his relationship with a local heiress, played by Australian actress Sophie Lowe, and his face off against a rival King.

Jan Žižka was an innovative Hussite military leader who fought in the Battle of Grunwald against the Teutonic Order in 1410 and famously defeated the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Kutná Hora in 1421. Considered to be one of the greatest military strategist and innovators of all time, he notably helped develop the use of wagon forts, vozová hradba in Czech or Wagenburg in German, as mobile fortifications. He is also known for quickly training peasants to face skilled and armored opponents who usually outnumbered his own troops. 

Medieval is expected to be released in 2020.