Martin Scorsese's ‘What Happens at Night' Wraps 35-Day Shoot in Prague, Moves to New York City for Interiors

Back in January, I mentioned how Martin Scorsese’s “What Happens at Night,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, was actually going to be a short shoot—around three months—which was unusual for Scorsese, who tends to embark on epic productions.

Turns out, it might be even shorter. Production started in Prague on February 25 and, after a few pick-up shots in Switzerland, wrapped on April 2. That’s just 35 days. They are now headed to New York City for interior shots, and then that’ll be a wrap on the whole thing.

This must have felt like a breeze for Scorsese, whose last four films had lengthy productions, with a few of them requiring reshoots. “Killers of the Flower Moon” was seven months, “The Irishman” was five months, “Silence” was around five months, and “The Wolf of Wall Street” was close to five months.

“What Happens at Night” is being described as a “dream-like story” involving a married American couple who travel to a small, snowy European town to adopt a baby. While staying in a nearly deserted hotel filled with enigmatic figures—a flamboyant singer, a corrupt businessman, and a magnetic faith healer—they confront a strange world that challenges both their marriage and their sense of reality.

Now, before we jump the gun and start wondering if the film could be released this year, Scorsese has a knack for taking his time in post-production.

For the most part, Scorsese’s films have had rather lengthy editing processes: “Killers of the Flower Moon” (24 months), “Shutter Island” (20 months), “Silence” (19 months), “The Irishman” (18 months), “Hugo” (15 months), “The Departed” (13 months), “The Aviator” (13 months), and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (11 months).

No release date just yet, and I suspect it will be aiming for a Cannes 2027 debut. The Apple-produced project is based on Peter Cameron’s novel of the same name, with the screenplay adapted by Patrick Marber (“Closer”). Alongside DiCaprio and Lawrence, some of the actors involved in “What Happens at Night” include Mads Mikkelsen and Patricia Clarkson.