Fans of Netflix’s German science-fiction thriller Dark will have something new to look forward to now that the series is over. Introducing 1899, a German, multilingual series debuting on Netflix from Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the creators of Dark.
The series' development began in November 2018, with Netflix green-lighting the project a few weeks later during a press event. Kelly Luegenbiehl, Vice President, Originals, Europe & Africa at Netflix, said:
"We are excited to announce this second project with Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. The fact that this concept is so radically different from DARK is a true testament to their creativity and versatility as creators, and we are excited to continue this journey with them.”
Friese and bo Odar added:
“What really made us connect to this idea was the concept of having a truly European show with a mixed cast from different countries. At its heart is the question of what unites us and what divides us. And how fear can be a trigger for the latter.”
By July 2020, bo Odar revealed on Instagram that Friese had completed the script for the pilot episode. Pre-production began in November of that same year, while filming started in May 2021. Netflix officially released the teaser trailer for 1899 on June 6th, giving viewers a glimpse of what the mystery-horror series will entail. While details about 1899 are limited, here is what we know so far about the upcoming Netflix series.
1899: The Plot
Netflix’s 1899 will consist of eight episodes. During Netflix’s press event about the announcement of 1899 in November 2018, they also revealed the synopsis:
“The original series revolves around a migrant steamship heading west to leave the old continent from London to New York. The passengers, a mixed bag of European origins, are united by their hopes and dreams for the new century and their future abroad. When they discover another migrant ship adrift on the open sea, their journey takes an unexpected turn. What they find on board will turn their passage to the promised land into a horrifying nightmare.”
An exclusive interview that Friese and bo Odar did with Deadline in May 2021 gave future viewers even more insight about what the series will be about when compared to Dark, saying, “Knowing that we did Dark, everyone can be assured that this is going to be something weird and wild and crazy,” teases bo Odar. But when asked about time travel, bo Odar said, “We don’t repeat ourselves, we really hate that, but it’s going to be a fun puzzle for the audience. We are going back to our mystery roots.”
However, Friese does add about 1899, “All the passengers on the ship are traveling with secrets that they don’t want to get out. It’s built like a puzzle again.”
Further details about 1899 were scarce until the official trailer was released, revealing the eerie secrets of the ship's characters with mysterious events.
1899: The Cast
Showrunners Friese and bo Odar said 1899 would be multilingual, making sure there was a diverse European cast from different countries for the series. In fact, each actor will speak only their native language in 1899. When asked about the diversity of the cast with Deadline, they said,
"Being true to the cultures and the languages was really important. We never wanted to have characters from different countries but everyone speaks English, we wanted to explore this heart of Europe, where everyone comes from somewhere else and speaks a different language, and language defines so much of your culture and your behavior. We just had a reading, partly on Zoom, partly with actors who are here [in Germany], and it was such an amazing experience to hear everyone speak in their language, going from Spanish to French to Polish, and have it all come together. I hope it’s going to make English-speaking people learn and love different languages as well. 1899 is pioneering in terms of its commitment to authenticity of language."
The most notable star is English actress Emily Beecham, who will play Maura Franklin. She is best known for playing Estella/Cruella’s adoptive mother, Catherine Miller, in 2021’s Cruella. Other notable cast members in 1899 include Welsh actor Aneurin Barnard, who starred in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, German actor Andreas Pietschmann, who worked already with Friese and bo Odar in Dark as older Jonas, and English actor Anton Lesser who was in Pirates of the Caribbean.
The additional cast consists of Spanish actor Miguel Bernardeau, French actress Mathilde Ollivier, English actress Rosalie Craig, Polish actor Maciej Musial, and Belgian actor Jonas Bloquet.
Release Date
While we still do not know the specific release date for 1899, it is expected to release in October or November 2022. Until then, here’s hoping the creators and Netflix will give us one more teaser trailer before the release.