From March 13, the new thriller series “The Swarm” can be accessed as video-on-demand on various streaming platforms, such as Amazon, Google and iTunes. The eight episodes are based on the novel of the same name from 2004 by the Cologne author Frank Schätzing – who, by the way, is not exactly enthusiastic about it. Frank Doelger (“Game of Thrones”) had the idea for the series. Directed by Luke Watson, Philipp Stölzl and Barbara Eder. Part of the series was recently shown at the Berlinale.
One of the most expensive productions in Europe
The series event is one of the most expensive German productions of all time: 44 million euros it is said to have cost, among other things worn by ZDF and created as a large-scale European production with an international cast, as “NDR” reported. For comparison: the Netflix series “Versailles” was previously one of the most expensive European series productions, with a budget of around 30 million euros.
Frank Schätzing vs. ZDF: “Talkative relationship box TV”?
As the Swiss news outlet “Kleinreport.ch” writes, the author was also involved in the production team at the beginning. However, he is said to have withdrawn with the producer because of “differences in content”. Doelger then told the “Spiegel” that the characters according to Schätzing were “no longer up to date”.
After the series was first broadcast, the best-selling author then expressed his displeasure at the beginning of February 2023: When asked by “Zeit” what bothered him about the series, the 65-year-old said “that it remains below its potential. Some things are ready for the cinema, others emotional and talkative relationship box TV.
He adds the words: “Good cast, but underchallenged. The global dimension of the threat is not noticeable, not to mention the topicality or an intelligent alien strategy.” What Schätzing likes about the series: “The special effects are attractive, some really good. Look, music, sound design, all well done.”
As the “Zeit” writes, the “ZDF” reacted to the criticism with the words: “The audience can get an impression of the quality of the international high-end production in a few days.” And: “Film adaptations of literary material differ in narrative form and dramaturgy always and to a large extent from the original medium of the book.”
“The Swarm”: Content and Cast
At the center is a group of researchers battling threats such as disturbing data on ocean currents, discovering a dangerous ice worm, a deadly bacterium in drinking water, and the extraordinarily aggressive behavior of whales. Ultimately, the team also fights against the greed of politicians, authorities, and corporations.
The cast: Barbara Sukowa (“Hannah Arendt”), Oliver Masucci (“Dark”), Cécile de France (“Around the world in 80 days”, “L’auberge espagnole – Barcelona for a year”), Leonie Benesch (” The Crown”, “Babylon Berlin”) and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (“Joko & Klaas”). The latter recently gave the ROLLING STONE colleagues a video interview about his role:
Three episodes of “Der Schwarm” can already be seen in the ZDF media library.
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