ZDF Studios lands Frank Doelger’s The Swarm in Australia
Foxtel Group to premiere the hit drama in June
Mainz, June 1st, 2023
ZDF Studios has sold The Swarm (8 x 45’), by multiple Primetime Emmy® award winner Frank Doelger (Game of Thrones), to the Foxtel Group who will launch the series in Australia in June on Foxtel and BINGE. The Foxtel Group is the country's biggest Pay TV broadcaster with over 4.6 million subscribers, across Foxtel and its streaming services, including the fast growing entertainment service, BINGE.
The chilling psychological thriller, one of the most ambitious European productions to date, has previously been picked up in the US, UK, Japan, Italy, France, Spain, Scandinavia, and Central Europe amongst others. ZDF Studios and Beta Film are handling world sales. The deal with the Foxtel Group was brokered by Yi Qiao, Director Drama at ZDF Studios.
Winning rave reviews and huge ratings with up to 10 million views per episode (linear and catch-up) on ZDF in Germany alone, The Swarm is produced by Intaglio Films’ Frank Doelger, ndF IP’s Managing Director Eric Welbers, Academy Award-nominated Marc Huffam (The Martian, Saving Private Ryan) and Ute Leonhardt (Killing Eve).
Based on Frank Schätzing’s international bestseller, The Swarm tells the story of escalating disasters borne out of the world’s seas. Across the globe, lives are increasingly imperiled as scientists come together sensing that something bigger is at play: an intelligent life force, dwelling in the deep – capable of manipulating the ocean.
Yi Qiao, Director Drama, ZDF Studios said: “Since its world premiere at Berlinale in February, The Swarm has become one of the hottest titles in our scripted catalogue. The talent behind this production is first class delivering binge-worthy story-telling. I’m delighted that the Foxtel Group will be introducing Australian audiences to this ecological thriller that is like no other.”
Alison Hurbert-Burns, BINGE Executive Director said: “We are thrilled to bring this psychological thriller, which is gathering a lot of international buzz, to Australian viewers through Foxtel and BINGE. With such an incredible creative team behind it, The Swarm, will add to our line-up of the world’s best shows.”
The series, directed by Barbara Eder (Barbarians), Luke Watson (Ripper Street) and Philipp Stölzl (The Physician), stars Alexander Karim (Dying of the Light), Cécile de France (The New Pope), Leonie Benesch (Babylon Berlin, The Crown), Barbara Sukowa (Hannah Arendt), and Takuya Kimura (2046, I Come With The Rain).
The Swarm is produced by Schwarm TV Productions GmbH & Co KG, a joint venture between Intaglio Films and ndF IP for ZDF, France Télévisions, Rai Fiction, Viaplay Group, Hulu Japan, ORF, SRF, in co-production with Bravado Fiction and Beside Production, in co-operation with ATHOS KG.
---
About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, Email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com