Adrien Brody and Sean Penn filming new thriller in Zagreb

Sean Penn (Photo credit: Harald Krichel/CC BY-SA 3.0)

ZAGREB, Croatia, 10 August 2026 – Hollywood stars Adrien Brody and Sean Penn have been spotted in central Zagreb while filming a new political thriller, bringing an international film production to the Croatian capital.

The actors were seen at the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, where scenes for Snake Island are being filmed under the direction of Doug Liman, known for films including The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow and Mr & Mrs Smith.

Parts of Mihanovićeva Street have been transformed for the production, with sandbags, barricades and extras dressed in military uniforms bearing Ukrainian insignia visible around the set.

Snake Island is inspired by the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea in September 2022, one of the most closely watched and controversial episodes linked to the war in Ukraine.

The film follows a covert team of Ukrainian divers embarking on a dangerous underwater mission as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate.

The real-life Nord Stream blasts have prompted investigations in several countries and generated competing theories over who planned and carried out the operation. The identities and responsibility surrounding the sabotage have remained the subject of international investigation.

Filming will take place in Croatia for 19 days. The set now moves to the coast, with filming wrapping in Pula in early September. 

You can see photos from the set HERE