Six years ago, Iron Sky [+lee también:
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entrevista: Timo Vuorensola
entrevista: Timo Vuorensola
ficha de la película] predicted that Nazis from outer space would conquer the Earth this year, and as it happens, Adolf Hitler has recently been spotted riding a Tyrannosaurus in Iron Sky: The Coming Race. The €17 million sequel will get a limited release on Valentine’s Day in Finland and will premiere at the Berlinale the day after. But the Finnish team behind the Iron Sky universe, director Timo Vuorensola and producer Tero Kaukomaa, are not content to stick with just two films. The third instalment in the science-fiction space Nazis franchise, Iron Sky: The Ark, started shooting four months ago at Wanda Studios in Qingdao, China, and is currently wrapping in Finland.

According to an official statement, the latest chapter of the series will follow two Chinese university-dropout audiophiles who decide to decode a cryptic voice message transmitted from the Moon. As it turns out, they will have to fight to save humanity as they face the mystical society of the Illuminati, whose billionaire boss, William Russell, is played by Andy Garcia.

Apart from Garcia, Iron Sky regular Udo Kier returns, performing as the Grand Master, and Finnish actress Malla Malmivaara joins the cast as Dr Anna Kontula. As the film is targeted mainly at the Chinese audience, local star Duan Yihong and Taiwanese-British actor Rhydian Vaughan have also secured leading roles. Lin Yi, Vivienne Tien and Wan Lian will be introduced as the main heroes of the film.

Iron Sky: The Ark managed to raise funds through at least 500 backers from 30 different countries, although its $25 million (€20 million) budget is fully funded by China, making this the first co-production between Finland and China. Vuorensola and Kaukomaa also took advantage of the recently introduced 25% Finnish tax rebate. Investing roughly €200,000 in the local economy, the Iron Sky universe is using the Turku region to stand in for the Bavarian Alps. Apart from the location, Finnish cinematographer Mika Orasmaa and composer Tuomas Kantelinen, who were previously members of the Iron Sky franchise, have also joined the crew.

Iron Sky: The Ark is a Finnish-Chinese-Canadian co-production by Iron Sky Universe with China Film Group Corporation, Shandong Jiabo Culture Development Co, Pan Pan Pictures and Longevity International Enterprises. The film is expected to have a Chinese festival premiere in spring 2019 and to be released in other territories later on.