Germany’s RTL Zwei on course to deliver Beyond Belief despite US strikes

Jonathan Frakes hosts X-Factor: Das Unfassbare (Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction)

Germany’s RTL Zwei is on course to complete filming of its X-Factor: Das Unfassbare (aka Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction) reboot amidst the current writers and actors’ strikes, despite the involvement of US-based talent.

RTL Zwei revived the cult classic last year, 20 years after the US mystery series was originally launched in Germany, produced by W&B Television in coproduction with Superama Film and Superposition Films.

In addition to Jonathan Frakes as host, other well-known Hollywood stars appear, including Danny Trejo (Machete, Con Air, From Dusk Till Dawn), but this has not stopped the most recent run of eight episodes from completing filming.

Gerhard Putz, head of digital at RTL Zwei, said: “Lesser-known actors and the crews are suffering from the situation. Our solidarity goes out to them. It is precisely these people that we are giving urgently needed jobs. RTL Zwei and its production partners are not members of the US industry association AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers] and therefore not a party to this dispute. We are shooting with an exemption from the actors’ union and feel their demands are justified overall.”

The showrunner is Holger Frick (Superama) and executive producers of the new season are again Benjamin Munz (W&B Television) and Gerhard Putz (RTL Zwei). Danny Castro (Superposition Film) acts as local producer.