The church, the village, and the costumes recreate 18th-century Ukraine with remarkable detail. The visual effects, managed by Main Road Post (Russia), were nominated for several awards.
As of 2025, Forbidden Empire (Viy 3D) is available on several legal platforms: forbidden empire 2014 filmyzilla top
Forbidden Empire (2014), originally titled , is a Russian-Ukrainian dark fantasy horror film that serves as a modern reimagining of Nikolai Gogol’s 19th-century classic story. Directed by Oleg Stepchenko The church, the village, and the costumes recreate