"The Swarm"
ZDF Studios revealed its lineup of scripted and unscripted content along with a range of junior titles ahead of MIPTV 2023, the Cannes market which is going to be celebrated from April 17-19, and where the company will be present at its Stand R7.D5.
From thrillers to crime and suspense, several new dramas will be launched including the epic eco-thriller series “The Swarm” (8x45’) from six-time Emmy Award winning producer, Frank Doelger. The slate also features in depth and beautifully filmed factual programmes, covering the history and nature genres, as well as both live action and animated children’s series.
Based on the best-selling book by German author Frank Schätzing, “The Swarm,” recently premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, is a bold, ambitious production from “Game of Thrones” showrunner Frank Doelger. A story spanning the world’s oceans and featuring an international cast, “The Swarm” is described as a gripping eco thriller like no other. Strange happenings occur borne out of the oceans: whales destroy boats, deep sea crabs attack beaches, mussels block container ships. Across the globe, lives are increasingly imperiled – and yet, nobody can draw a connection between the seemingly random attacks. Except for a group of scientists who come together sensing that something bigger is at play: an intelligent life force, dwelling in the deep – capable of manipulating the ocean.
The company’s slate continues with the thrillers “Clean Sweep” (6x52’) and “Uncharted” (6x45’), suspenseful drama “Dear Vivi” (7 x 45’), factual titles “The Six Continents Revealed” (6x50’) and “Bison - An American Icon” (1x50’), and junior titles “Spellbound” (26x26’), “Superhero Academy” (13x15’) and “Maari - Adventures at the Reef” (20x7’).
“Following what has been a very busy and successful winter, we are looking forward to keeping up the momentum as we head into the next season with a strong lineup of top quality content. A huge thanks goes out to all the producers, film crews, animators and talent who are responsible for creating these exciting shows that we are proud to be launching at MIPTV and beyond. Our thanks also extends to our co-production partners for their invaluable support. We hope to see many of you in Cannes,” said Markus Schäfer, President and CEO at ZDF Studios.