Netflix ups unscripted focus in Germany with new documentary, reality projects
Katja Hofem, VP of German original series at Netflix, and Jenny Augusta
Netflix has unveiled a string of newly commissioned unscripted series from its German operation, working with producers such as Banijay, Constantin Entertainment and The Thursday Company.
The announcements about the new shows were made at a Next On Netflix event in Berlin on Wednesday night, where the global streamer presented its upcoming series and feature film highlights.
Among the series coming in 2025 are Shirin David, a non-fiction series from W&B Television about Germany’s most successful female rapper as she goes on tour for the first time, and season two of the German version of Too Hot to Handle, from Seapoint Productions.
The streamer has also ordered Fight For Paradise: Who Can You Trust from Banijay Productions Germany, which will launch on April 23.
Hosted by Bonnie Strange, the show is described as an epic game of trust in which strangers have to manoeuvre their way out of a hellish jungle camp into a luxury paradise to win €100,000.
Coming on June 25, Constantin Entertainment’s reality series Kaulitz & Kaulitz sees Bill and Tom Kaulitz, the musical twins from Magdeburg, Germany, open the doors to their private lives for the very first time.
Also launching in 2024 will be The Thursday Company-produced Jack Unterweger, a ‘stranger than fiction’ true-crime documentary series about an author who was viewed as a rehabilitated murderer but continued to kill undisturbed.
Pinzner: German Hitman, meanwhile, is a non-fiction series from Beetz Brothers Film Productions about the events at Hamburg’s police headquarters on July 29, 1986, when five-time contract killer Werner ‘Mucki’ Pinzner shot the public prosecutor, then his wife and finally himself, creating one of the biggest scandals in German police history.
Currently in production, feature-length scripted project Brick (working title) comes from Nocturna Productions and W&B Television and stars Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O Fee.
The Netflix event also featured talent from new series, such as Lavinia Wilson and Mina Tander from the forthcoming drama Cassandra; Edin Hasanovic and Taneshia Abt spoke about the feature film Blame the Game; while Jeanne Goursaud discussed her forthcoming action thriller Exterritorial (working title).
Netflix is also gearing up to air Murder Mindfully, Crooks, seasons two of Kleo & The Empress and Love is Blind: Germany, Delicious and season four of How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast).
Katja Hofem, Netflix’s VP of content in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, said: “Nothing beats experiencing the first reactions from an audience to our series and film highlights in a setting like this.
“We have seen again and again how local stories can captivate viewers here and around the world. We aim to continue this successful journey together with our partners, sharing a common goal of creating exceptional entertainment that moves and inspires people.”
