The long-awaited “Wolfhound”, the first large-scale Russian fantasy movie and one of the most expensive Russian cinema projects of the past years, has been finally released.

The film, based on a series of bestselling Russian novels by Maria Semyonova, tells the story of a fearless warrior, Wolfhound – the last member of the Grey Dogs clan. He survived, being condemned to death. Having lost everything – his family, his home and his freedom – Wolfhound is obsessed with revenge, seeking to punish his enemies. 

The budget of the film reached around $US 20 MLN, and a substantial part of it was spent on a massive advertising campaign. 

Filming locations included Slovakia and Montenegro – and six months were spent building the wooden town of Galirad taking up 5 square kilometres at Moscow's Mosfilm studio. 

The film stars Aleksandr Bukharov as Wolfhound, Oksana Akinshina as his love, Princess Elen, and Aleksandr Domogarov as his implacable enemy, Maneater.  

Director Nikolay Lebedev says his aim was to create a spectacular project.  

“I wanted to make it dazzling… Fires, flames, battles, crowds of people, love and death – all together,” he pointed out. 

Special effects do much to make such eye-catching pictures. Thus the image of “Earthbound Bat”, Wolfhound's companion, comes from the joint efforts of computer designers and Cambodian flying foxes. 

Some characters from the movie appeared at the Moscow premiere – guarding the peace of the viewers and entertaining them with ancient musical rhythms. 

The creators are planning to make a sequel but they say it all depends on the first part's success.