Warner TV shoots satire of Germany TV industry featuring Ramadan, Gervais

Cüneyt Kaya, Kida Khodr Ramadan and Detlev Buck begin shooting Greenlight

WarnerMedia Germany has ordered a comedy set in the world of the local TV industry, in which Kida Khodr Ramadan (4 Blocks) and Ricky Gervais play themselves.

Filming has begun on Greenlight: German Genius (8×30′) in Berlin, with Warner TV Comedy and W&B Television handling production.

Tired of playing the same roles and wanting to create something of his own, the show is set after Ramadan responds to a tweet from Gervais in October 2018 praising his portrayal of clan head Toni Hamady in German crime drama 4 Blocks.

Ramadan then convinces Gervais to give him the rights for a German adaptation of his BBC series Extras. However, the lack of international stars in the country and Germans not being renowned for their sense of humour proves challenging.

On his path to creating “the greatest series of all time” and navigating the German television industry, Ramadan’s control slowly but surely slips away.

The series features a cast of German actors, musicians, and comedians, including Detlev Buck, Frederick Lau, Tom Schilling, Veysel Gelin, Olli Schulz, Heike Makatsch, Maria Furtwängler and Sascha Geršak.

Also set to appear are Katrin Bauerfeind, Britta Hammelstein, Christina Große, Trystan Pütter, Wim Wenders, Volker Schlöndorff, Leander Haußmann, Kurt Krömer, Thorsten Merten, Anne Ratte Polle, Kathrin Angerer, Marc Hosemann and Marvin Kren.

Anke Greifeneder, VP of original production at WarnerMedia Germany, said: “Greenlight: German Genius satirises the German media landscape and at the same time its own origins – Ricky Gervais’ tweet – did actually happen and ultimately led to the idea for the series.

“After the mockumentary Other Parents (Andere Eltern) and the dramedy The Mopes, we are once again showing a completely different variety of humour in our latest Warner TV original and are delighted to have attracted this outstanding cast.”

Quirin Berg, producer and managing director at W&B Television and Leonine Studios, added: “What would 4 Blocks be without Toni Hamady? Hard to imagine. But what would Toni Hamady be without 4 Blocks? It’s a fascinating question and impetus for a snapshot of our industry: humorous, not seen before and with a sensational ensemble – taken from the real life of the thoroughly self-reflective lead actor Kida Ramadan.”

The show is produced in cooperation with CAB Film, Macadamia & Mothermilk and in collaboration with BBC Studios Germany and Studio Babelsberg.

Executive producers are Berg, Max Wiedemann, Angélique Kommer, Buck, Cüneyt Kaya, Ramadan, Hannes Heyelmann and Greifeneder, who is also editorial director.

The scripts were written by Buck, Kaya, Constantin Lieb and Seraina Nyikos, with Kaya and Buck directing.