Filmmakers Baron bo Odar and Jantje Friese are preparing to unveil their brand-new mystery, 1899. The series follows a group of multinational immigrants traveling from Europe to New York, where they encounter an abandoned ship adrift at sea, leading to a nightmarish outcome. The series is one of the latest big-budget projects from Netflix, arriving next month.
Odar and Friese are known for their work on the German Netflix series Dark. The show, which ran for three seasons, was quite successful for the streaming service as it carefully constructed a time-travel mystery with a large ensemble cast. 1899 seems to take a similar approach, as audiences are introduced to a wide range of characters throughout the trailer. The first look from Netflix can be found below.
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The trailer presents a few mysteries that will be uncovered throughout the show, which seems to revolve around the Bermuda triangle. The official synopsis from Netflix reads: “1899. A migrant steamship heads west to leave the old continent. The passengers, a mixed bag of European origins, united by their hopes and dreams for the new century and their future abroad. But their journey takes an unexpected turn when they discover another migrant ship adrift on open sea. What they will find on board, will turn their passage to the promised land into a horrifying nightmare.”
1899 features a stellar cast, including Andreas Pietschmann, who starred in Dark. Anton Lesser, Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard, Mathilde Ollivier, Alexandre Willaume, Richard Hope, Clara Rosager, Jonas Bloquet, and Ben Ashenden will join Pietschmann in significant roles. 1899 is set for release next month, arriving on Netflix on Nov. 17.
1899 Takes a Virtual Production Approach
Netflix
1899 is something different for creators Odar and Friese, as they will use Virtual Production technology, similar to The Mandalorian, for their upcoming project. The duo spoke with Deadline earlier this year about what it was like on a set that wasn’t entirely practical. “It is literally a new way of filmmaking,” Odar explains. “We spoke with the team behind The Mandalorian, including DP [Barry Baz Idoine] to understand the technology more. It was clearly challenging for each department, but we love challenges, so we wanted to try it for this show.”
Friese mentioned their initial plans, which included a multi-country journey for filming. “We originally planned to travel to Spain, Poland, Scotland, all kinds of locations. Quite quickly [after the pandemic started] we knew that might not be possible in the new feature, so we fully embraced the idea of bringing Europe to us.” However, Odar explains that the process of filming is entirely different. “It sounds like a magic tool, but it’s really, really tricky. It’s like if you’re used to driving a car and now you suddenly have to fly a plane. It’s a big, big difference.”
Fans can see how Odar and Friese handle the groundbreaking technology on Nov. 17, when 1899 debuts its 8-episode season.
