Czech Epic Jan Žižka-Costing $20M-Flops Domestically, Finds Audience on Netflix
Prague – Jan Žižka, teh most expensive Czech film ever made with a budget of 450 million Czech crowns (approximately $20 million USD), failed to resonate with domestic audiences despite extensive planning and production. The historical drama earned only 55.5 million crowns at the Czech box office, but unexpectedly found success as a top 10 title on Netflix under the name Medieval.
The film’s domestic reception was hampered by criticism of its historical inaccuracies, with viewers citing a preference for dramatic hollywood-style storytelling over faithful period detail. While the filmmakers did not receive commission from Netflix plays, the streaming platform’s viewership offered a contrasting outcome to the film’s disappointing theatrical run. The production serves as a cautionary tale of enterprising filmmaking, with hundreds of millions of crowns invested ultimately failing to deliver a return.
