ZDF Studios sells Spanish-German co-production ‘Weiss & Morales’ to Italian broadcaster Rai
Miguel Ángel Silvestre and Katia Fellin star in new procedural series
Mainz, 29 July 2025
Italian broadcaster Rai has acquired the new procedural drama series 'Weiss & Morales' (4 x 90’), co-produced by RTVE, ZDF, Portocabo, Nadcon and ZDF Studios, for their Free-TV channel Rai 2.
'Weiss & Morales' is a series rooted in the most classic elements of the genre and reformulated to meet the current standards of premium television drama. The series revolves around the story of two investigators, Spanish Civil Guard sergeant Raúl Morales (Miguel Ángel Silvestre, particularly known for Sense8, Narcos) and German BKA agent Nina Weiss (Katia Fellin). When a crime is committed in the Canary Islands affecting the German community, the two find themselves compelled to work together. A collaboration neither enjoys, however, they'll ultimately find a way to crack the case in each episode despite their very different characters and methods of investigation.
‘Weiss & Morales’ is accompanied by an ensemble cast of Spanish and German actors that aside Katia Fellin and multi-award-winning actor Miguel Àngel Silvestre includes talents like Juanjo Puigcorbé, Mariam Hernández, Margarita Broich, Thomas Heinze, Tania Santana, Yaiza Guimaré, Saulo Trujillo, Luifer Rodríguez, and Iria Santana.
Guided by the seasoned direction of Oriol Ferrer, known for his work on 'Entrevías,' 'Estoy Vivo', backed by the executive producers Alfonso Blanco from Portocabo (‘Rapa’ ‘Hierro’) and Peter Nadermann from Nadcon (‘The Bridge’, ‘The Killing’), 'Weiss & Morales' boasts a blended Spanish and German writing team spearheaded by Nina Hernández, Carlota Dans, and Ron Markus.
The series was filmed in various locations across the Canary Islands, with Gran Canaria serving as the main scenario. Just recently, ‘Weiss & Morales’ was part of the International Drama Competition of ‘The Italian Global Series Festival 2025’. ZDF Studios handles the worldwide sales outside of Spanish-speaking territories.
Yuliya Fischer, Director Drama at ZDF Studios: “The show sets a new gold standard for European co-productions, and we are delighted that Rai's viewers will soon be able to enjoy it. Rather than being a financial patchwork, the partnership between Spain’s RTVE and Germany’s ZDF on this series feels organic and integral to the story's DNA.”
Adriano De Maio, Director of Cinema and TV Series at Rai, said: ”With its fresh tone, rich characters and stunning setting, ‘Weiss & Morales’ looks set to become a sunlit standout in the world of European crime dramas and we are delighted to be able to show it to our audience. One of the most striking features of ‘Weiss & Morales’ is its setting. The Canary Islands aren’t just a backdrop; they’re the third protagonist.”
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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 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