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Brick Soars To Top On Netflix Despite Poor Rating! (Photo Credit – Netflix)

Brick cracked through the surface of Netflix and climbed straight to the top, even as critics turned away. This German thriller, set entirely in a sealed-off apartment block, has turned heads worldwide, despite being buried under a bleak 35% score from Rotten Tomatoes.

The film, directed by Philip Koch and currently positioned at 1 (per Flixpatrol), follows a couple and their neighbors trying to survive after their building is trapped behind a giant brick wall.

Netflix’s Brick (2025) pic.twitter.com/rbxbexDzM5

— Bruce (@carelessbruce) July 13, 2025

Brick Continues To Keep Viewers Hooked

Brick’s cast features Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee as the lead pair, joined by faces like Frederick Lau and Sira-Anna Faal. Although the performances kept the plot moving, reviews were not kind, with the score currently standing at 35% on Rotten Tomatoes.

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This post contains spoilers for Netflix's "Brick."

When horror stories are confined to a single location, every emotion is intensified. The visceral fear of being trapped in a confined space can be a gateway for great scares, especially when the characters realize there's no easy way out. The psychological implications of single-location horror are multifold, as such stories are able to explore character motivations in contexts that everyday situations rarely afford. The associated tropes that come with them — twist reveals, cabin fever-induced confusion, and the human instinct to overcome impossible odds — only make the experience that much sweeter. Netflix's new escape room thriller, "Brick," tries to live up to those expectations, but it doesn't arrive at any groundbreaking conclusions during the process. Nevertheless, it's a film worth checking out.

If we take a quick look at Netflix's weekly Top 10 movies in the U.S., "Brick" is sitting in third place at the moment,...

A Netflix thriller has ascended the global streaming charts, despite a poor critical response. Netflix continues to release movies across all genres, but thrillers remain some of the streamer's biggest successes. Carry-On (2024), for example, was a massive hit upon release, eventually working its way up to becoming Netflix's second most-watched English movie ever.

Carry-On is far from the only English-language Netflix thriller success, though. Last year, movies like Rebel Ridge and Don't Move were also significant releases in terms of viewership. In 2023, The Killer made a splash, and this year, Havoc was also a modest success, despite mixed reviews.

It's not just with English-language thrillers that Netflix is finding success, however, as the genre proves to be popular internationally. One of the biggest releases last year was Under Paris, a French shark attack movie, which is currently the second most-watched non-English movie on the service.

Netflix's international success continued earlier...

A couple whose relationship is on the rocks wakes up in the middle of the night to find that they’ve been locked inside their apartment — not by an intruder or a maniacal landlord but by strange black bricks blocking every possible exit. Desperate to escape, they join forces with their neighbors to decode the mystery that’s keeping them trapped. The German thriller Brick, written and directed by Philip Koch (Tribes of Europa), stars Matthias Schweighöfer (Army of the Dead), Ruby O. Fee (Army of Thieves), and Frederick Lau (Victoria).

Stream it now.

Check it out at the top of this page.

After suffering a pregnancy loss, the relationship between Tim (Schweighöfer) and Olivia (Fee) has been strained. Tim is overly stressed about finishing his work — a video game –– and Olivia feels that he’s been neglecting her. As soon as she calls it quits, however, she opens the...

Netflix has been constantly releasing original films that usually become big streaming hits. That often happens even if the audiences and critics don't enjoy the project.

Such is the case for one of the most recent releases: Brick. Not to be confused with the 2005 neo-noir mystery thriller of the same name, with Knives Out's Rian Johnson in his directorial debut, the new Netflix film is a sci-fi German movie that has the residents of a building unexpectedly caught in their homes by a surprising brick wall. Although Brick received negative reviews, it didn't take long for it to become a worldwide hit, FlixPatrol reports.

Brick premiered on Netflix on Jul. 10, and two days later, it's already the #1 film worldwide. On its first day, the sci-fi mystery film topped the charts in 43 countries, and further grew to 44 countries on Jul. 12. Considering that it's a foreign film with little to no promotion,...

Netflix’s Brick (2025), directed by Philip Koch and starring Matthias Schweighöfer, Ruby O. Fee, and Frederick Lau, is a claustrophobic escape-room-styled thriller. The story revolves around a distant couple, Tim and Liv, who wake up to find their entire building mysteriously sealed in by impenetrable black walls overnight. As they dig deeper (both literally and metaphorically), they uncover a government glitch, a deranged conspiracy theorist, and a series of fatal consequences. While the film doesn’t break new ground in terms of genre innovation, it delivers a tense, compact experience that’s perfect for viewers who enjoy contained thrillers with high-stakes drama and a mystery at the core.

If Brick piqued your interest, you’re likely craving more stories of people trapped in surreal, high-concept scenarios — stories that explore survival, systems of control, psychological strain, and sci-fi paranoia. Below are 7 movies like Brick on Netflix and beyond, each echoing its...

Spoiler Alert !!!The following article contains spoilers from Netflix's Brick!

Netflix has done it again, surpassing the expectations of its viewers and coming up with a film that might be the worst nightmare for every claustrophobic person. Released recently on the Ott platform, the German sci-fi flick Brick took us by surprise with its out-of-the-box concept of a defense system gone rogue. The locked-room mystery is the newest film joining the library after KPop Demon Hunters and The Old Guard 2, where people had contrasting opinions following both films.

This escape room concept movie is an easy-to-follow plot, featuring flawed yet relatable characters. Thus, it becomes a juicy thriller, where they are segregated from the outside world. However, the open ending leaves ample room for us to interpret that the mystery of the black brick is far from over.

Brick Ending Explained: Decoding the Black Wall Mystery One Brick...

While most of the world spends this weekend going to see James Gunn’s Superman up on the big screen, you might want to instead cozy up with some new horror movies. And you’d be in luck, because nine brand new ones have released at home and in theaters this week.

Here’s all the new horror that released from July 7 – July 11, 2025!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

David Cronenberg’s new movie The Shrouds received a limited theatrical release from Sideshow and Janus Films back in April, and it’s finally now available at home.

You can rent The Shrouds on VOD or stream exclusively on The Criterion Channel.

“In an eerie, deceptively placid near-future, a techno-entrepreneur named Karsh (Vincent Cassel) has developed a new software that will allow the bereaved to bear witness to the gradual decay of loved ones dead and buried in the earth.

Despite a focused and committed cast, led by Matthias Schweighofer and Ruby O. Fee, writer-director Philip Koch’s escape room thriller Brick (2025) is a tepidly unremarkable affair. As if checking from a list, the Netflix film navigates most of the tropes of films of such ilk and fails to rise above its generic structure. However, it remains a passably entertaining watch if you are in the mood. Just do not expect to be wowed by the experience. “Brick” has its central characters, a growing-distant couple, trapped when their entire building is walled in. The characters try to find a solution to escape the building, while theorizing about the reason for their predicament. Let us analyse the story and the ‘conspiracy’ that dictated the fate of the characters.

Brick (2025) Netflix Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:

The film starts with a glance at Tim (Matthias Schweighofer) and Liv (Ruby O. Fee), and how...

Netflix’s German sci-fi survival thriller, Brick, is a fine example of a constrained setting story that heavily depends on the performances of the cast to fully capture atmospheric dread and anxiety. Showing how survival drive affects individuals to differing extents, Brick ramps up the stakes and builds up narrative tension. While there might be mixed opinions regarding whether the ending delivered as strongly, there is no argument regarding the dedication of the involved cast and crew. A special mention should be made about the production design, as the settings act as a character as well.

Tim Played by Matthias Schweighofer

German actor/director Matthias Schweighofer has been active in both the silver screen and small screen scenes since the late 90s. Over the years he has built a solid profile with his direction in a number of comedy movies and acting performance in ventures like The Red Baron, Valkyrie,...

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Brick (not to be confused with the 2005 Rian Johnson film of the same name) is a German sci-fi mystery thriller film written and directed by Philip Koch. The Netflix film revolves around a couple still grieving over a recent tragedy as they find themselves trapped in their house after mystery and indestructible bricks surround their building. Brick stars Matthias Schweighofer, Ruby O. Fee, Frederick Lau, Josef Berousek, and Alexander Beyer. So, if you loved the mystifying concept, thrilling drama, and entertaining characters in Netflix’s Brick, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Cube Credit – Cube Libre

Cube is a sci-fi horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali, who also co-wrote the screenplay with André Bijelic and Graeme Manson. The 1997 film follows a group of people who wake up and find themselves trapped in deadly cube...

In the new German film Brick, a couple awakens to find their apartment building inexplicably encased overnight by a mysterious, impenetrable wall. This high-concept premise, reminiscent of classic “puzzle box” stories, serves as the foundation for a science fiction thriller that has premiered on Netflix. Starring Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee, the film uses its claustrophobic setting to explore a relationship under extreme duress.

The Emotional Core Under Siege

At the heart of the narrative is the strained dynamic between Tim (Schweighöfer), a workaholic games programmer, and his partner Olivia (Fee), an architect. Their lives are shadowed by the past loss of a child, a trauma that has driven them apart. Tim has retreated into his work, while Olivia has made a desperate bid for a fresh start, quitting her job and buying a camper van for an escape they may never take. The sudden appearance of the physical...

Imagine waking up one morning and discovering that your apartment building has been completely sealed off overnight—with no exits, no phone signal, and no clue what’s going on. That’s the chilling setup of Brick, an upcoming German psychological sci-fi thriller directed and written by Philip Koch (Tribes of Europa). Set to release on July 10, 2025, ‘Brick’ is headed straight to Netflix, promising a gripping, slow-burn mystery about survival, paranoia, and human nature when the walls quite literally close in.

With a cast led by Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee, Brick turns a single residential complex into a pressure cooker. This article explores the plot, full cast breakdown, release and streaming details, filming location, and whether you can watch the trailer yet.

Netflix’s “Brick” (2025) Plot Overview:

Brick centers on an inexplicable and terrifying event: one morning, an apartment building’s residents discover that a thick, impenetrable brick wall has appeared overnight,...

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This July, we are getting a ton of content from the much-anticipated conclusion of The Sandman and return of the beloved series Twisted Metal on streaming, to the release of some of the most anticipated movies of this year, such as James Gunn‘s Superman, and the much-awaited The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This upcoming month will see the release of many great movies, so we thought of compiling a list of all the best movies that are coming straight to streaming.

The Old Guard 2 (July 2) – Netflix Credit – Netflix

The Old Guard 2 is an upcoming superhero action fantasy film directed by Victoria Mahoney from a screenplay by Greg Rucka. Based on the comic book of the same name by Rucka and Leandro Fernández, the Netflix sequel film continues the story of Andy as she loses her...

What if you woke up one morning and couldn’t leave your home? What if you couldn’t leave, not because you didn’t want to, but because a wall had mysteriously appeared overnight, sealing you in. That’s the setup of Brick, Netflix‘s upcoming German sci-fi thriller that drops on July 10, 2025.

With an eerie atmosphere and an all-star German cast, Brick is set up to be one of the most gripping releases on Netflix this year. Directed by Philip Koch, this psychological nail-biter takes us to what happens when the walls close in. Here’s everything you need to know about Brick before it hits your screen.

Brick Release Date on Netflix Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee in Brick | Credit: Netflix

Brick premieres exclusively on Netflix on July 10, 2025. It’s part of Netflix’s expanding lineup of European genre thrillers. The movie is expected to be one...

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Netflix is ready with an entertainment-packed July this year. While, we are already know all the brilliant films and TV shows that will be leaving Netflix in the upcoming month, we will also see the premiere of many highly anticipated Netflix original movies and TV shows, including the highly anticipated sequels of The Old Guard and Happy Gilmore and a new season of the brilliant fantasy series The Sandman. Just like every month, Netflix is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the seven new movies and shows coming to Netflix in July 2025.

Yellowjackets Season 2 (July 1) Credit – Showtime

Yellowjackets is a psychological mystery horror survival thriller series co-created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. Season 2 of the Showtime series continues the story of the girls’ soccer team, who have survived the summer in the wilderness,...

An apartment becomes a trap in the trailer for Brick, which brings to mind Cube and The Platform.

The mysterious sci-fi thriller drops July 10 on Netflix.

Tim and Olivia awake trapped in their apartment behind an impenetrable, futuristic wall which has materialized overnight… and they are not alone. The entire building and its residents seem to be enclosed.

What happened? Who built that wall and why? Without any chance of outside help, they must band together to find a way out. Can they solve the mystery of the wall in time — and survive?

Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee star with Frederick Lau, Salber Lee Williams, Murathan Muslu, Axel Werner, Sira-Anna Faal, and Alexander Beyer.

Friend Request co-writer Philip Koch writes and directs the German film.

The post ‘Brick’ Trailer – ‘Cube’ Meets ‘The Platform’ in Netflix’s Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Four years after sharing the screen in the Army of the Dead prequel Army of Thieves for the Netflix streaming service, actors (and real-life couple) Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee have teamed up again for another Netflix project, the thriller Brick. The film is set for a global streaming release on July 10th, and with that date just four weeks away, a trailer has dropped online. You can check it out in the embed above.

Brick has the following synopsis: Tim (Matthias Schweighöfer) and Olivia (Ruby O. Fee) awake trapped in their apartment behind an impenetrable, futuristic wall which has materialized overnight… and they are not alone. The entire building and its residents seem to be enclosed. What happened overnight? Who built that wall and why? Without any chance of outside help, they must band together to find a way out. Can they solve the mystery of the wall in time and survive?...

"What if the wall is a code? A code for what...?" Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a thriller titled Brick, arriving to watch in July this summer. Not to be confused with Rian Johnson's classic Brick. This German thriller is directed by Philip Koch and is getting a global push - this trailer is dubbed in English. They want to leave, but their apartment won’t let them. A mysterious thriller about a home that becomes a trap. Tim & Olivia awake one morning trapped in their apartment behind an impenetrable, futuristic wall which has materialized overnight. Where did it come from and why? Soon they found out that others in their apartment complex have the same problem. Without any chance of outside help, all of the neighbors must band together to find a way out. This seems like it's a riff on both Cube with The Platform,...

Netflix released their Summer 2025 movie lineup this morning, and while you won’t find any real horror on the list, there was one movie that at least caught our attention.

Matthias Schweighöfer (Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead) stars in the upcoming horror-thriller Brick, which will begin streaming exclusively on Netflix on July 10, 2025.

In the film, “Tim (Matthias Schweighöfer) and Olivia (Ruby O. Fee) awake trapped in their apartment behind an impenetrable, futuristic wall which has materialized overnight … and they are not alone. The entire building and its residents seem to be enclosed.

“What happened? Who built that wall and why? Without any chance of outside help, they must band together to find a way out. Can they solve the mystery of the wall in time — and survive?”

Philip Koch directed Netflix Original Brick, which also stars Frederick Lau, Salber Lee Williams, Murathan Muslu, Axel Werner, Sira-Anna Faal, and Alexander Beyer.

Disney+ has ordered “Call My Agent Berlin,” a German remake of the hit French series revolving around the world of talent agents.

Directed by Boris Kunz, Laura Lackmann and Johann Buchholz, the German version of “Call My Agent” tells the story of the “Stern” actors agency and its agents.

The local cast is headlined by Moritz Bleibtreu, Nilam Farooq, Iris Berben, Veronica Ferres, Katja Riemann, Heiner Lauterbach, Frederick Lau, Heike Makatsch, Emilia Schüle, Kostja Ullmann, Jürgen Vogel, Alicia von Rittberg, Max von der Groeben and Florence Kasumba. The series just finished filming and will launch in the fall.

It’s produced by Johann Buchholz and Henning Kamm at haFriday Film GmbH, together with Wild Bunch Germany GmbH.

“Call My Agent Berlin” starts after the sudden death of founder Richard Stern. “Everything is at stake: the agency is on the verge of bankruptcy, so the staff must attract new talent in the shortest possible time,...

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Bookie is a comedy-drama series created by Chuk Lorre and Nick Bakay. The Max series follows a veteran bookie as he tries to survive in the face of sports gambling legalization while also dealing with unstable clients and worried family members. Bookie stars Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar Dorsey, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito, Jorge Garcia, Maxim Swinton, and Rob Corddry. So, if you loved the dark comedy, a bit of crime drama, and compelling characters in Bookie here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Mr. Inbetween (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – FX

Mr. Inbetween is a dark comedy crime-drama series created by Scott Ryan. Based on Ryan’s 2005 film The Magician, the FX series follows Ray Shoesmith, an assassin and a divorced father who tries to find a balance between his life of crime and being a loving father.

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The intricate planning, a bunch of misfits coming together, and an impossible amount of money all come together and result in a thrilling heist. The heist genre is generally one of the most popular sub-genres out because of all the thrills and mystery you can have in the plot while also having a ton of fun. So, if you are a heist genre fan, Netflix is the streaming service for you, as it has some of the best heist shows you can find anywhere.

Kaleidoscope Credit – Netflix

Kaleidoscope is a heist thriller drama series created by Eric Garcia. The Netflix series follows a master thief and his crew as they try to $7 billion, but their internal conflict and greed get in the way of their plans. Kaleidoscope is known for its unique way of presenting its story because...

A new Netflix film inspired by the true story of German Ngo Jugend Rettet and its ship, the Iuventa, which saved thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean before it was impounded by Italian authorities in 2016, is in production.

The film, currently untitled, chronicles the journey of a group of young Berliners who find themselves unable to stand by and watch as countless refugees lose their lives attempting to reach Europe by sea. They launch a crowdfunding campaign to buy an old ship and venture to sea to rescue migrants.

Netflix offered a first look on Wednesday of its lead Louis Hofmann (Dark, All the Light We Cannot See), following the start of production in Berlin. The movie is now being shot in Malta.

Alongside lead actor Louis Hofmann, the cast also includes Mala Emde, Katharina Stark, Frederick Lau, Maria Dragus, Trevor Magaya, Kathy Etoa, Felice, Saibon Wang, Joone Dankou, Merlin von Garnier,...

Rolling off Netflix’s Oscar-winning “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Emmy-winning “The Empress,” the streamer has set its next German production, an untitled feature inspired by the true story of the migrant rescue ship the Iuventa. Louis Hofmann, the German breakout actor of “All the Light We Cannot See,” headlines the movie.

Markus Goller, whose latest film “Die Ironie des Lebensand” was a box office hit in Germany and sold over 1.2 million tickets, is directing the Netflix movie.

The film just started shooting in Berlin and Malta, chronicles the journey of a group of young Berliners who were part of the German Ngo Jugend Rettet. “Unable to stand by and watch as countless refugees lose their lives attempting to reach Europe by sea, they take action. Inexperienced but driven by passion and courage, they launch a crowdfunding campaign to buy an old ship. Venturing into the Mediterranean, they...

Netflix has unveiled upcoming movie about real-life German Ngo Jugend Rettet and its ship, the Iuventa, which rescued thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea in 2016 before it was impounded by Italian authorities.

In-demand actor Louis Hofmann – whose credits include Dark, Ripley, Masters of the Air, All The Light We Cannot See, and is soon to be seen in Monstrous Beauty opposite Bella Ramsay – leads the cast.

Netflix have unveiled a first image of the film which is currently shooting in Malta, after kicking off production in Berlin. The film follows in the wake of a number of successful German productions for Netflix including the Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front and Emmy-winning series The Empress.

The movie tells the true story of the creation in 2015 of Jugend Rettet by a group of young Berliners who felt compelled to do something about the thousands of people who were dying...

UK’s Odeon Cinemas Expands Family Offer

In a bid to bolster its draw for families, the UK’s Odeon Cinemas is expanding the scope of its “adults pay kids prices” deal. The scheme will see admits for one adult and one child from as little as £10 for an Odeon Cinema and £15 for an Odeon Luxe throughout 2024. The AMC-owned chain says it’s making the investment into its family offerings as data has shown that affordability and convenience are the biggest concerns for families when considering activities, particularly over the summer holidays. With the opening weekend of Inside Out 2 marking Odeon’s busiest since National Cinema Day last September, turnstiles have been on fire. The UK gross for IO2 through Sunday stands at $40.2M while such titles with family appeal on deck include Despicable Me 4 on July 12 and Harold and the Purple Crayon on August 2. Later in the year,...

Picture Tree Intl. has boarded international sales for Constantin Film’s comedy fantasy blockbuster “Chantal and the Magic Kingdom,” which will receive its market premiere in Cannes.

The film has been No. 1 on Germany’s box office charts for four consecutive weeks since its release on March 28, and reached more than 2 million admissions, with a gross of $22.5 million.

“Chantal” is the latest German-language hit from writer-director Bora Dagtekin and producer Lena Schömann. The duo previously delivered “Turkish for Beginners,” the “Fuck You Goehte” franchise and the German remake of “Perfect Strangers,” which have collectively grossed more than $300 million worldwide.

In “Chantal,” the beloved “Fuck You Goehte” character Chantal and her best friend Zeynep are sent on a fantasy adventure into the world of fairytales with a comedic and contemporary twist.

Chantal, an influencer without followers, and Zeynep stumble into the fairytale world through an ancient magic mirror, which they mistake for a social media gimmick.

Testo and The Wave star Frederick Lau leads the cast of Netflix's German thriller, Crooks. 

Crooks is a 2024 series that chronicles how a former safecracker returns to a life of crime by teaming up with a kingpin's son to save his family's life from the dangers of his past.

Crooks premiered on Netflix on April 4.

Read full article on The Direct.

List of Titles – What To Watch This Week On Ott (April 1-7) (Photo Credit – IMDb/Youtube)

What to watch this week on Ott? This is a question many of you must be having on your minds. A lot of content is coming in for people who love to sit at home and binge on interesting content. From Ripley to a new episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show to Yeh Meri Family Season 3, the options for selecting your kind of content are pretty fascinating.

We have listed down the upcoming new releases on streaming platforms Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. Take a look.

What to Watch This Week (April 1-7): Netflix Trending Actor Turned Directors Box Office: Aamir Khan & Arbaaz Khan’s Blockbuster Side With 420.83% Profit Vs Ajay Devgn’s Flop Side – Where Will Kunal Kemmu Fall? MonsterVerse Movies Ranked As Per Budget: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire...

Netflix has furthered its commitment to German production with an expanded slate of local projects.

At a showcase event in Berlin last night (March 13), Netflix announced a number of new titles, including feature Brick, which is currently being filmed and stars Matthias Schweighöfer, Ruby O. Fee and Frederick Lau.

Brick, about the residents of an apartment seeking a way out when their building is suddenly surrounded by a mysterious brick wall, is written and directed by Philip Koch and produced through Nocturna Productions and W&b Television.

Netflix’s focus on the German market is notable for coming at a time...

Confirming Germany’s importance as a growth market, Netfix on Wednesday announced 17 new and returning shows and movies produced by some of the country’s leading producers, including docuseries “Kaulitz & Kaulitz,” about the Tokio Hotel popstar siblings, and sci-fi drama “Cassandra,” about an overzealous electronic household helper.

Netflix presented 17 feature films, series, documentaries and reality shows at a special event in Berlin.

“We have seen again and again how local stories can captivate viewers here and around the world,” said Katja Hofem, Netflix’s VP of content for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “We aim to continue this successful journey together with our partners, sharing a common goal of creating exceptional entertainment that moves and inspires people.”

Produced by Constantin Entertainment and premiering in June, “Kaulitz & Kaulitz” accompanies Tokio Hotel frontmen Bill and Tom Kaulitz, twin brothers from Magdeburg, Germany, on tour with their band and in their new home in Hollywood.

Netflix Germany unveiled a pair of feature films, including Wiedemann & Berg title Brick, true-crime docs and a reality competition series this evening at a showcase in Berlin.

The sizeable slate announcement, which comes a day before a similar UK event, is notable given that Germany’s TV producers have seen the likes of Sky Deutschland pull out of originals and Paramount+ changing direction in their local production efforts.

Among the new titles is feature Brick (working title), which is currently being filmed and stars the likes of Matthias Schweighöfer, Ruby O. Fee and Frederick Lau. Slated to launch in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Dach) in 2025, the film follows a couple, Tim and Olivia, whose apartment building suddenly surrounded by a mysterious brick wall. They are forced to work with their neighbors to find a way out.

Philip Koch is the creator and Director of Photography. He produces alongside Quirin Berg,...

Pictures: Netflix – Illustration by What’s on Netflix

It’s time for another slate preview, and today we’ll look through all the upcoming German-language movies and series we know are in development at Netflix for release in 2024 and beyond.

2023 was a big year for new German-language Netflix Originals, with a dozen releases in total. Dear Child was perhaps the biggest, spending six weeks in the global top 10s in total. As a reminder, all the new German titles included:

1899 (Multilingual) Big Mäck: Gangsters and Gold Blood & Gold Cyberbunker: The Criminal Underworld Dear Child Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate Hard Feelings Making All Quiet on the Western Front Paradise Sleeping Dog Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom Too Hot to Handle: Germany Woman of the Dead

This list is everything currently announced and Netflix De (or Netflix Europe) has yet to put out an...

Love Again is a romantic comedy film written and directed by James C. Strouse. The rom-com movie is based on a German film titled SMS für Dich, which was based on a 2009 of the same name Sofie Cramer. Love Again follows the story of Mira, a young woman who is still grieving over the loss of her fiance, in order to deal with her grief she still sends romantic texts to her fiance’s number not knowing that the phone number has been reassigned to another man, who becomes more and more interested in her. Love Again stars Priyanka Chopra, Sam Heughan, and Celine Dion in the lead roles. So, if you loved the rom-com film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

P.S. I Love You (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.

Synopsis: Two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank stars with Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow,...

The festival runs June 23 - July 1.

Films by Jessica Hausner, Elegance Bratton and Sebastian Silva are among 36 titles selected for the Filmfest München’s three international competition strands, CineMasters, CineVision and CineRebels. The festival runs June 23-July 1.

CineMasters

Hausner’s Club Zero will be joined by another four Cannes competition titles - Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves, Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster - to screen in Munich’s CineMasters competition for the €50,000 Arri Award which is presented to the producers of the best international film.

The 12-title line-up also includes...

Exclusive: OneGate Media has picked up worldwide distribution rights for German crime series Asbestos from Pantaleon Films.

The five-part series launched on German public network Ard’s streamer Mediathek in January and achieved 3 million views in three days. This makes it the strongest series start on the platform.

It’s the latest acquisition for OneGate, which last year rebranded from Studio Hamburg Enterprises. Already in the catalog are Prime Video series German Crime Story: Deadlock and Lost in Fuseta, a crime drama based on the novel by Grimme Award Winner Holger Karsten Schmidt.

Asbestos comes from director Kida Khodr Ramadan and follows a promising 19-year-old Momo footballer whose dreams are left in tatters when he is sent to prison after being framed by his uncle for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s then faced by the choice of sticking to his principles and staying...

WarnerMedia Germany has confirmed that Ricky Gervais is among the cast of its comedy series Greenlight – German Genius, which is now shooting in Berlin.

The eight-part TV satire stars Kida Khodr Ramadan (4 Blocks) as himself. It recounts a dramatized version of events after Ramadan’s real-life Twitter exchange with Gervais in 2018, in which the British comedian praised Ramadan’s performance in 4 Blocks.

In Greenlight, Ramadan convinces Gervais to give him the rights for a German adaptation of Extras. However, as he attempts to progress the show to production, he comes up against the fact that the Germans aren’t particularly known for their humor, and that there are not many international stars in the country.

Also in the cast are a host of known German actors, musicians, and comedians, including: Detlev Buck, Frederick Lau, Tom Schilling, Veysel Gelin, Olli Schulz, Heike Makatsch, Maria Furtwängler, Sascha Geršak, Katrin Bauerfeind, Britta Hammelstein,...

Ricky Gervais has boarded “Greenlight – German Genius” a new series from WarnerMedia Germany inspired by one of his tweets from 2019.

The 8-episode series, which has started shooting in Berlin, satirises the German television industry.

Two years ago the “After Life” writer and actor sent a public message via Twitter to German actor Kida Ramadan praising his portrayal of character Toni Hamady in series “4 Blocks.”

“Congratulations,” wrote Gervais. “Another masterpiece.”

In a case of art imitating life, Ramadan and Gervais will now appear as fictional versions of themselves in “Greenlight – German Genius,” in which Ramadan convincing Gervais to let him make a German adaptation of his hit series “Extras” after the comedian sends Ramadan a tweet praising his performance in “4 Blocks.”

However, Ramadan hits a stumbling block when he realizes there aren’t any international celebrities in Germany to cameo in the adaptation all while trying to navigate the...

German entertainment giant Ufa is continuing its push into feature films with a slew of high-profile projects, including an upcoming Siegfried and Roy biopic and a sequel to the 2014 historical epic “The Physician,” starring Tom Payne (“Prodigal Son”).

The ramp-up follows the huge box office success last year of Oscar winner Caroline Link’s “All About Me,” based on the childhood memoir of German comedian Hape Kerkeling, which became 2019’s second biggest local box-office hit with €31.25 million ($35.34 million) via Warner Bros.

Other upcoming titles include Leander Haussmann’s highly anticipated Cold War laffer “A Stasi Comedy,” which Constantin Film is set to release next year. Set in the 1980s, the film centers on a young agent of East Germany’s infamous state security service, played by David Kross (“Balloon”), who is sent to infiltrate East Berlin’s counterculture scene and who, years later, is confronted with the possibility of his...

German entertainment giant Ufa is continuing its push into feature film with a slew of high-profile projects, including an upcoming Siegfried and Roy biopic and a sequel to the 2014 historical epic “The Physician,” starring Tom Payne (“Prodigal Son”).

The ramp-up follows last year’s huge box-office success of Oscar-winner Caroline Link’s “All About Me,” based on the childhood memoir of German comedian Hape Kerkeling, which became 2019’s second biggest home-grown box-office hit grossing €31.25 million ($35.34 million) via Warner Bros.

Other upcoming titles include Leander Haussmann’s highly anticipated Cold War laffer “A Stasi Comedy,” which Constantin Film is set to release next year. Set in the 1980s, the film centers on a young agent of East Germany’s infamous state security service, played by David Kross (“Balloon”), who is sent to infiltrate East Berlin’s counterculture scene and who, years later, is confronted with the possibility of his secret Stasi past coming to light.

Fact-based “The Wolf of Wall Street” won criticism from some quarters for seeming to revel in its protagonist’s sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, while barely chiding him for the predatory, large-scale financial fraud that funded it. Cuneyt Kaya’s new “Rising High” offers a similar disconnect in its fictive tale of bold chicanery in the realm of high-end real estate, treating its heroes’ climb to ill-gotten wealth as a vicarious thrill ride, with scant attention paid to the victims they presumably bankrupt.

This new Netflix offering from Germany is slick and energetic. But even as a mostly less-than-serious (let alone credible) criminal caper, it has a distinctly second-hand feel. We’ve partied with more-or-less these same plucky, covetous nobodies before, watched lookalike scenes of wenching, snorting and bling-flaunting. Their familiarity breeds a certain contempt. This is a competently crafted movie too shallow to come up with much...

Picture Tree Intl. has secured global sales rights of Berlin comedy “Nightlife,” directed by Simon Verhoeven, following his last film “Welcome to Germany,” which was Germany’s comic relief to the refugee crisis. The film sold to more than 60 territories and screened at more than 50 festivals worldwide, while being the No.1 box office hit in Germany in 2016.

“Nightlife” features German star Elyas M’Barek as bartender Milo who, on a night out in Berlin, meets Sunny, a Berlin native and the woman of his dreams – a fateful encounter as it soon turns out. Their first date starts out very smoothly until Milo’s chaotic friend Renzo, played by Frederick Lau, appears on the scene. Unexpectedly, the romantic evening turns into a wild race through the nightlife of Berlin with the trio fighting for nothing less than their lives and true love.

After blockbusters like “Maennerherzen” (Men in the City) (2009) and “Welcome to Germany...

The German director is in Berlin shooting a new comedy toplined by Elyas M’Barek, Palina Rojinski and Frederick Lau. Production began last week in Berlin and the surrounding areas on Nightlife, a new film by Simon Verhoeven. Best known for having directed the box-office hit Men in the City and Welcome to Germany, a comedy about the refugee crisis, which in 2016 managed to attract more than 3.9 million viewers into the dark rooms and became the highest-grossing German-language film of the year, Verhoeven is now readying his sixth feature. Nightlife will follow Millo (Elyas M’Barek), a barkeeper, and Sunny (Palina Rojinski), a real Berliner, as they meet accidentally during a night out and decide to go on a date. Everything seems to be going well, but when Millo’s shambolic friend Renzo (Frederick Lau) joins them, the romantic evening turns into a wild ride through Berlin’s nightlife. Millo and Sunny.

Netflix has wrapped filming on its first German Original film, Concrete Gold, starring David Kross (The Reader), Frederick Lau (Victoria) and Janina Uhse.

The Ufa-produced drama-thriller charts the rise and fall of three corrupt real estate agents who accumulate absurd wealth in no time but fall into a vortex of fraud, greed and drugs.

Cüneyt Kaya (Blockbustaz) wrote and directed the feature which is produced by Ufa Fiction’s Sebastian Werninger and Johannes Kunkel. Also among cast are Peri Baumeister, Detlev Buck, Samuel Finzi, Sophia Thomalla and Johanna Ingelfinger.

Kai Finke, Director of Content Acquisitions & Co-Productions at Netflix, said, “Working with Cüneyt Kaya and Ufa Fiction on Concrete Gold has been a joy. Cüneyt and our great cast have bough boundless energy to this fast-paced film and we thank the team of Ufa Fiction for creating such a high quality movie for Netflix. We are...

Netflix is making its first foray into German original films, unveiling a slate of three projects that it will produce with local film and TV powerhouses Ufa, X Filme and Zdf.

In the lineup are “Betongold” (“Concrete Gold”), a fast-paced satire about the world of real estate from Ufa Fiction; “Isi & Ossi,” a young-adult romcom from X Filme Creative Pool; and “Freaks,” a drama about a working-class mom with supernatural powers, from Zdf and Lüthje Schneider Hörl Film. The movies are set to start production this spring and will be released globally on Netflix from 2020.

The feature projects follow Netflix’s strong commitment to series in Germany, where it is currently producing a slew of shows, including supernatural hit “Dark” and gritty crime drama “Dogs of Berlin.”

“Concrete Gold,” written and directed by Cüneyt Kaya, follows three young real-estate grifters in Berlin, played by David Kross (“The Keeper”), Frederick Lau (“The Captain”) and Janina Uhse,...

Project is actress-director Karoline Herfurth’s second directorial outing.

Picture Tree International (Pti) has taken on international sales for actress-director Karoline Herfurth’s second directorial outing, the action comedy Sweethearts.

Herfurth also stars as the dithering, anxious Franny, who is taken hostage by single mother Mel (played by former European Shooting Star Hannah Herzsprung) during a diamond robbery. Matters get more complicated when handsome cop Harry (Frederick Lau) appears on the scene and becomes a second hostage.

Pti’s co-managing directors Yuan and Andreas Rothbauer are now scouting for the right distribution partners for Sweethearts and plan to present first footage at Afm,...

Time to play Streaming Roulette. Each month, to survey new streaming titles we freeze frame the films at random places with the scroll bar and whatever comes up first, that's what we share! (in case you missed it we did Netflix earlier)

What does Amazon Prime offer us for free viewing this month?. Let's survey...

Just because we fucked three times, now you think you own me?

Gutland (2017)

Did Phantom Thread make you curious about Vicky Krieps? Here she is in a noir from her home country of Luxembourg. The guys she's arguing with in this skinny-dipping scene is Frederick Lau, who gave a fine performance in that continuous shot German movie Victoria a few years ago. 

ding ding ding. It looks like we have a winner

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Season 1 (2018)

Jeez, how many actors have played Jack Ryan already? Now it's Mr. Emily Blunt's turn in a new Prime series.

Milan Peschel (Freytag), Max Hubacher (Willi Herold) and Frederick Lau (Kipinski) in Robert Schwentke's The Captain (Der Hauptmann)

In his Hollywood career Robert Schwentke has directed Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman for Red; Shailene Woodley, Jeff Daniels, Naomi Watts, and Miles Teller in Allegiant; Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges and Mary-Louise Parker for R.I.P.D., and Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard and Sean Bean for Flightplan.

In the final installment of my conversation with The Captain (Der Hauptmann) director/screenwriter Robert Schwentke he speaks about Alexander Fehling (star of Giulio Ricciarelli's Labyrinth Of Lies) and Frederick Lau's reaction to the captain's uniform, cites a line delivered by Max von Sydow in Woody Allen's Hannah And Her Sisters, agrees with Whit Stillman on Stanley Kubrick's expatriate perspective, recalls the reaction to his Family Jewels (Eierdiebe), and states that "every character in The Captain has a reason for what they're doing.

Chicago – Films about the Nazis and the German military during World War II are numerous… except for the ones with a pure German perspective. “The Captain,” directed by Robert Schwentke (“R.I.P.D.”), is based on a true story about a German army deserter who finds a Captain’s uniform, and decides to ride out the waning days of the war with the power of an officer.

Max Hubacher is Willi Herold, the deserter, and his icy cold performance is one of the highlights of “The Captain.” Herold will stop at nothing to survive against the constant chase on the run from the German army, and once he gets a taste of officer power he is not about to let go. His journey takes him to a prison holding other deserters, and his decisions there are based on getting the assignment done quickly and to his larcenous advantage. When complications arise there,...