ZDF Studios secures deal to deliver Frank Doelger’s "The Swarm" in Australia

ZDF Studios has sold "The Swarm" 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. “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," Alison Hurbert-Burns, Binge Executive Director said. 

"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. The eight-part series, directed by Barbara Eder, Luke Watson and Philipp Stölzl, stars Alexander Karim, Cécile de France, Leonie Benesch, Barbara Sukowa, and Takuya Kimura. 

Garnering successful 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 and Ute Leonhardt. “Since its world premiere at Berlinale in February, The Swarm has become one of the hottest titles in our scripted catalogue,"  Yi Qiao, Director Drama, ZDF Studios said. "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.”

The title will soon air on Foxtel Group, deemed 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. It 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.

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.