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‘The Swarm’: Australia’s Foxtel Latest To Board Frank Doelger’s Eco Drama Series

Jesse Whittock
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Australia’s Foxtel is the latest to take on The Swarm.

The pay-TV provider has acquired the eight-part eco-drama series from ZDF Studios, which co-distributes the show with German compatriot Beta.

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The series comes from Game of Thrones producer Frank Doelger. It will launch on Foxtel, which has 4.6 million subscribers in Australia, and streaming service Binge in June. Deals for the ZDF show have already been struck in the U.S. with The CW. Further agreements are in place in the UK, Japan, Italy, France, Spain, Scandinavia, and Central Europe.

The deal with Foxtel was brokered by Yi Qiao, Director Drama at ZDF Studios, who said: “Since its world premiere at Berlinale in February, The Swarm has become one of the hottest titles in our scripted catalogue. The talent behind this production is first class delivering binge-worthy story-telling. I’m delighted that the Foxtel Group will be introducing Australian audiences to this ecological thriller that is like no other.”

Based on Frank Schätzing’s international bestseller, The Swarm tells the story of escalating disasters borne out of the world’s seas. Across the globe, lives are increasingly imperiled as scientists come together sensing that something bigger is at play: an intelligent life force, dwelling in the deep – capable of manipulating the ocean. It’s been a ratings in Germany, with an average of 10 million views per episode (including linear and catch-up) on ZDF, and is now a hot seller internationally.

Directed by Barbara Eder (Barbarians), Luke Watson (Ripper Street) and Philipp Stölzl (The Physician), it stars Alexander Karim (Dying of the Light), Cécile de France (The New Pope), Leonie Benesch (Babylon Berlin, The Crown), Barbara Sukowa (Hannah Arendt), and Takuya Kimura (2046, I Come With The Rain).

Alison Hurbert-Burns, Binge Executive Director, said: “We are thrilled to bring this psychological thriller, which is gathering a lot of international buzz, to Australian viewers through Foxtel and BINGE. With such an incredible creative team behind it, The Swarm, will add to our line-up of the world’s best shows.”

The Swarm is produced by Schwarm TV Productions GmbH & Co KG, a joint venture between Intaglio Films and ndF IP for ZDF, France Télévisions, Rai Fiction, Viaplay, Hulu Japan, ORF and SRF, in co-production with Bravado Fiction and Beside Production, in co-operation with ATHOS KG.

Executive producers are Intaglio’s Doelger, ndF IP’s Managing Director Eric Welbers, Academy Award-nominated Marc Huffam (The Martian, Saving Private Ryan) and Ute Leonhardt (Killing Eve).


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