STARZPLAY Commissions First German-Language Original

STARZPLAY has commissioned its first-ever German-language original, Night in Paradise (Nachts im Paradies), based on the graphic novel by Frank Schmolke.

In Night in Paradise, a taxi driver must grapple with the fact that his profession is about to die out and his 18-year-old daughter considers him a stranger, until the apocalyptic event of a fateful Oktoberfest night forces their lives to intersect again.

The six-episode adaptation is the first commission for Windlight Pictures, part of ITV Studios, which was founded last year by Das Boot executive producer Moritz Polter. It is a co-production with Heinrich Ambrosch’s Satel Film.

The series has been written by Matthias Glasner (Das Boot) and Hannah Schopf (Tiger Girl). Glasner will also direct. Jürgen Vogel (The Wave) and Lea Drinda (We children from Bahnhof Zoo) are set to star.

“Germany was one of the first European territories we launched in as a service and is such an important market for us–we’re delighted to now be commissioning our first ever German original series,” said Superna Kalle, president of STARZ International. “Night in Paradise is a dark, edgy, unique project we know will resonate with our audiences, and we have fantastic local partners in Windlight Pictures and Satel Film.”

Polter, managing director and executive producer of Windlight Pictures, and Heinrich Ambrosch, Satel’s CEO and co-owner, said, “Frank Schmolke’s graphic novel Night in Paradise is a real gem, and we are very happy to have partnered with STARZPLAY for their first German original, as we all share a vision for this unique property. Matthias Glasner and Hanna Schopf have fully embraced the material and have used its world to create a truly mesmerizing ride into a nighttime Germany you have never seen before.”