Movistar Plus+ has secured the highly anticipated “War of the Kingdoms” for its platform and will present the series at the 2025 South International Series Festival in Cádiz, following a deal with Fremantle. Produced by Constantin Film and directed by Cyrill Boss and Philipp Stennert, the creative duo behind “Pagan Peak,” the ambitious fantasy saga draws inspiration from the heroic legend The Song of the Nibelungs. The foundational myth that once inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings now returns to the screen in a sweeping, large-scale adaptation.
The South International Series Festival will run from September 12 to 17, with “War of the Kingdoms” premiering its first two episodes on September 14. The series, adapted from Wolfgang Hohlbein’s 1986 novel Hagen von Tronje, blends mythology, history, mysticism, romance, and action to reimagine one of Europe’s most enduring epics. Fremantle will manage international distribution outside of German-speaking territories, while RTL+ is set to launch the series in 2025.
The story follows Hagen, a loyal soldier and Lord Commander whose duty to his king collides with his secret love for Princess Kriemhild. As external threats loom, including the arrival of Siegfried, the legendary dragon slayer, and Brunhild, the Valkyrie queen wielding ancient magic, Hagen finds himself at the center of a catastrophic struggle for power, love, and survival.
The cast is led by Gijs Naber (“Black Book,” “The Story of My Wife”) as Hagen von Tronje, opposite Jannis Niewöhner (“Napoleon,” “Berlin Station”) as Siegfried. Lilja van der Zwaag (“Oh Hell”) portrays Princess Kriemhild, while Rosalinde Mynster (“A Royal Affair”) stars as Brunhild, and Dominic Marcus Singer (“Pagan Peak”) plays King Gunter. The ensemble also includes Jördis Triebel (“Dark,” “Babylon Berlin”) and Jörg Hartmann (“Tatort”).
Produced by Jan Ehlert (“The Allegation”), Christoph Müller (“Look Who’s Back”), and Christian Rohde (“The Witnesses”), with Filip Hering co-producing on the Czech side, the series has Martin Moszkowicz and Oliver Berben of Constantin Film serving as executive producers.
With its mix of fantasy spectacle and dramatic depth, “War of the Kingdoms” positions Movistar Plus+ and Fremantle to capitalize on the enduring appetite for large-scale international genre productions, while reinforcing the South International Series Festival as a showcase for prestige global television.