German SVoD backs Sisi reboot

Sisi stars Dominique Devenport and Jannik Schümann

RTL Group’s German SVoD service TVNow has commissioned a reboot of premium period drama series, Sisi.

Berlin-based Story House Pictures and Satel Film are producing the small-screen remake of the Austrian film which premiered in 1955 and starred Romy Schneider.

Sisi tells the story of Empress Elisbeth, played by Dominique Devenport (Night Train to Lisbon), who falls head over heels in love with the Emperor of Austria, played by Jannik Schümann (Center of My World, Charité), only to find their marriage is not what she expected.

Sven Bohse (Dark Woods) will direct Sisi, with Hauke Bartel, Markus Böhlke and Sylke Poensgen serving as executive producers.

German distributor Beta Film is handling worldwide rights for the series, which is supported by the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and the Bavarian Film and Television Fund (FFF Bayern).

Beta Film’s MD Moritz von Kruedener said: “Sisi is a timeless story, a young liberal woman fighting for independence in a rather hostile environment. It seems that history repeats itself – today she might be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.”