Astana’s futuristic skyline is heading to the big screen. The Canadian sci-fi action film Altered, starring British actor Tom Felton, was partly filmed in the Kazakh capital. The first trailer has already revealed some familiar landmarks. In the trailer, viewers can spot Astana’s signature architecture – the Nur Alem sphere and the Nazarbayev Center. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Altered tells the story of a world where genetically “upgraded” people live in privilege, while the rest fight for survival. Felton, best known as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, takes on the lead role.

Production took place in the fall of 2023, when Felton was seen more than once around the city. Director Timo Vuorensola had visited earlier that summer to scout locations, sharing glimpses of an abandoned factory, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, and the Qazaqconcert Hall on Instagram.

Altered premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is set for worldwide release on September 18, 2025.