German Series ‘The Widow Killer’ Expands Its Reach with New Deals in Europe with Canal+ and SVT
EXCLUSIVE: The German event series The Widow Killer has secured distribution deals across several European countries in advance of its premiere on ARD.
Canal+ has acquired rights to air the series in the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, while SVT has obtained the show for Sweden. The Widow Killer is scheduled to debut on ARD in Germany on Good Friday, April 3, with subsequent launches planned for Austria’s ServusTV and Czech Television later this year.
These agreements follow a period of heightened activity in the international television market, particularly during recent events like Berlinale and the London TV Screenings. The deals were facilitated by international distributor Intvition in collaboration with gap financier Bravado Equity.
Based on the novel by Pavel Kohout, The Widow Killer is set in German-occupied Prague during the waning days of World War II. The narrative centers around rookie Czech detective Jan Morava, who must join forces with Gestapo agent Erwin Babuck to hunt down a serial killer following the brutal murder of a German Wehrmacht general’s widow. The plot also features Jitka, Morava’s fearless fiancée, who goes undercover as bait, and Marleen, an alluring actress with a hidden connection to Babuck.
The series features a talented cast including Nicholas Ofczarek (Pagan Peak), Jonas Nay (Deutschland 83, Deutschland 86, Deutschland 89), Jeanette Hain (Babylon Berlin), Devid Striesow (The Counterfeiters), Gerhard Liebmann (Tatort), Diana Dulinková (Two Words as the Key), and Karel Dobrý (Borgia). Christopher Schier serves as director, with Klaus Burck handling the writing.
Produced by Zeitgeist Filmproduktion in partnership with Epo-Film Austria, ARD Degeto Film, NDR, ServusTV, HR, and Canal+ Austria, the project is supported by Bravado Equity and Česká Televize, with additional backing from FISA+ and RTR Fernsehfonds Austria.
The series is available in both two-part and four-part formats.
