Cruise's casting caused controversy among German politicians and members of Stauffenberg's family because of the actor's practice of Scientology, which has had difficulty establishing itself as a religion in Germany, though German newspapers and filmmakers gave support to the film to spread global awareness of von Stauffenberg's plot. The filmmakers of Valkyrie initially had difficulty setting up filming locations in Germany due to the controversy, but they were later given leeway to film in locations pertaining to the film's story, such as Berlin's historic Bendlerblock.
The film changed release dates from as early as June 27, 2008 to as late as February 14, 2009. The changing calendar and poor response to United Artists's initial marketing campaign drew criticism about the studio's viability. After a positive test screening, Valkyrie was ultimately released on December 25, 2008. United Artists renewed its marketing campaign to reduce its focus on the star Tom Cruise and to play up director Bryan Singer's previous credentials. The film will open in Germany on January 22, 2009.