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Budapest: the best place to shoot your movie
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Ever since Budapest became one of the favourite production sites of Hollywood, we are able to spot more and more film shootings on the streets of our beloved city. If you’ve been wondering what Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher is doing here or why the streets in the Palace district are closed by turns, then Forbes.hu has all the answers you seek.
We witnessed Jennifer Lawrence exploring Budapest while shooting Red Sparrow, and since then, film stars and crews have flooded the Hungarian capital. Forbes.hu reports that the companies which bring the big American and European productions to Hungary have confirmed that both the city and their employees are busy working on films. There are so many films and series shot simultaneously in Budapest, that it is impossible to receive even one more production. There are no more professionals available, either; all of them are involved in some or other productions.
Mid Atlantic productions
The biggest production under shooting in Budapest is The Alienist mini-series. Shooting began for the ten episodes in spring and is expected to be finished by early September. The costume crime series is based on Caleb Carr’s similarly titled novel, set at the end of the 19th century in New York. The series stars Daniel Brühl, who plays Dr Laszlo Kreizler, a psychiatrist with Hungarian roots, searching after a serial killer targeting male prostitutes. Luke Evans’ journalist character and Dakota Fanning’s police officer are aiding him in his efforts.
Although the majority of the scenes are shot in the Origo film studio at Rákospalota, some scenes were shot in the 5th, 8th and 9th districts. You might spot the Szabó Ervin Library, Mikszáth square or Lónyay Street. The trailer shows the school at Lónyay street doubling as the New York police office. Some of the Forbes journalists actually ran into Daniel Brühl at Mikszáth square: the actor was on the phone, chatting with someone in Italian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9867sT-Y1M
The Hungarian producer of The Alienist is Mid Atlantic. The company was also involved in the production of Blade Runner 2049, starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, and in the production of the new Robin Hood film, with Jamie Foxx as the lead. Parts of both films were shot in Hungary.
So why are Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis in Budapest with their children? Mila Kunis is shooting her latest film, The Spy Who Dumped Me, a spy-comedy about two girl friends, played by Kunis and by Kate McKinnon. Kunis’ character finds out that her ex-boyfriend is a spy, hunted by hitmen, and the two women have to run for their lives as well. You will spot Corvin square, some buildings from the 8th districts and the Paris Department Store from Andrássy street.
