MPI/Dark Sky Films, LA-based XYZ Films, and Pellicola of Amsterdam announced today that the first day of principal photography on Richard Raaphorst’s long-awaited debut feature, Frankenstein’s Army, has been completed in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The stunning, ancient location, situated near historic Prague, was also recently used in the 2006 box office hit Casino Royale.

“Frankenstein’s Army takes place toward the end of World War II, as Russian soldiers push into eastern Germany and stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Viktor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein’s work to assemble an army of super-soldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades – a desperate Hitler’s last ghastly ploy to escape defeat.”

Director Raaphorst co-wrote Frankenstein’s Army, with the film being produced by Nick Jongerius and Daniel Koefoed (Harry Doright and Dead End) of Pellicola, Todd Brown of XYZ Films, and Derek Curl of MPI/Dark Sky Films. The director of photography is Bart Beekman.

Raaphorst’s Worst Case Scenario stands as one of the great horror films that never was. The Nazi-zombie project whipped up a massive international following thanks to two early promo reels. But due to financing and production difficulties, the project was abandoned in 2009. Now, director Raaphorst will bring his visionary design skills to this new horror movie, to be distributed by MPI/Dark Sky Films in North America. Pictured: Cast members Hon Ping Tang, left, Robert Gwilym, center, and director Richard Raaphorst on the Czech Republic set. Photo by Derek Curl, Dark Sky Films.