Fox Searchlight executives said on Thursday that production has begun in and around Prague in the Czech Republic on the Second World War satire Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi’s feature follow-up to global hit Thor: Ragnarok.

Scarlett Johansson stars with Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Thomasin McKenzie from Leave No Trace, newcomer Roman Griffin Davis in the lead role, and Waititi himself as Adolf Hitler.

Jojo Rabbit centres on a young German boy living with his single mother and his imaginary friend Hitler. The youngster’s views are challenged when he meets a young girl.

Waititi wrote the screenplay and produces alongside Carthew Neal and Chelsea Winstanley, with Kevan Van Thompson serving as executive producer.

“I’m stoked to begin shooting my anti-war satire,” Waititi said. “We’ve assembled an incredible cast and I couldn’t be more excited to finally ridicule Nazis and their beliefs. This film is going to piss off a lot of racists and that makes me very happy.”

“Taika is a master at bringing honesty and humanity to the surface in any story, all while allowing us to laugh,” searchlight presidents of production Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum said. “We could not be more thrilled to join him in the remarkable journey of Jojo Rabbit.”

Greenbaum and Greenfield, senior vice-president of production DanTram Nguyen, and vice-president of production Taylor Friedman will oversee production for the studio.