ARD’s Puma, Adidas drama sprints ahead

A German broadcaster is preparing a miniseries from an Oscar-winning producer about the two brothers behind the Adidas and Puma brands.

Rivals Forever: The Sneaker Battle (4×45′) is due to finish shooting next month and will air in a primetime slot on ARD in 2016.

Set against the backdrop of the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1920s, it tells the story of Adi and Rudi Dassler following the international success of their joint sports shoe.

However, the long-standing differences between the brothers leads to conflict, which ultimately results in the creation of two future multinational corporations.

The show is produced by Wiedemann & Berg Television, the same company that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2007 for The Lives of Others.

The miniseries, which is also available in a 2×90′ format, is being distributed by Germany’s Global Screen, which will present first images of the show at the German Screenings in December.

Alexandra Heidrich, head of TV sales at the company, described the miniseries as “a gripping and dramatic family saga, full of love, friendship, mistrust and intrigue.”