Netflix has been home to many amazing movies and series, and while Stranger Things has become one of the first titles to pop up on anyone’s mind, the 2017 series Dark remains one of the best written, directed, and produced titles in the Netflix lineup. Although Dark concluded in 2020, show creators Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese have been busy coming up with their next project. Their time away bore fruit as Netflix prepares to launch their next title, 1899.
1899 will include names like Aneurin Barnard, Emily Beecham, Anton Lesser, and Clara Rosager. Additionally, fans of Dark will be excited to know that Andreas Pietschmann, who played a prominent role in the series, will be returning.
The series will revolve around a migrant steamship on its way to the west, leaving behind the old continent. Its passengers include a mixed bag of individuals of European origins who are united by their hopeful outlook for the new century and their future abroad. While they expected a smooth sailing, the journey takes an unexpected turn when they encounter another migrant ship adrift on the open sea. When they board the ship, their journey slowly twists into a horrifying nightmare.
Baran and Jantje spoke with Deadline and provided more details about their upcoming project. They revealed that the show will be filming with the latest technology reminiscent of what Disney’s The Mandalorian uses.
The facility is dubbed “Volume” while the stage contains 4,500 square feet of shooting space surrounded by an LED backdrop that renders the surroundings in real-time. The innovative technology eliminates the need for a green screen, reducing the time needed in post-production.
Fans of Dark will remember how the series was not only set in Germany, but also used its language, with Netflix offering an English dub in the options. With 1899, Baran and Jantje are taking things even further, shooting the production entirely multilingual with each actor speaking their native language.
“Being true to the cultures and languages was really important. We never wanted to have characters from different countries but everyone speaks English,” explained the show creators. “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.”
Baran and Jantje promised fans that 1899 will bear some similarities with their previous projects but also remain entirely different.
