Netflix renews German original series DARK for a second season

Berlin -- Netflix has renewed its first German original production, DARK, for a second season. The acclaimed drama created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese has resonated with audiences in Germany and around the world, including the U.S., Brazil, Italy, Turkey, Spain and France among other countries. DARK, a family saga with a supernatural twist, is now one of the most-watched entirely non-English shows on Netflix, a German series that transcends borders to connect with audiences in every country.

Kelly Luegenbiehl, Vice President of International Originals for Netflix, said: "When we first heard about DARK, we realized very early on that we hadn't seen anything like this show before -- in Germany or anywhere else in the world. DARK is a testament that great storytelling transcends geography. We're excited that our members around the globe are captivated by the mysterious world of Winden, and will now be able to continue to see how the story unfolds."

Showrunners Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese about the audience reception and the renewal of season two added: "We are overwhelmed by the response to DARK and are thrilled that our story has been a success with a global audience. Viewers have been captivated by the secrets of our protagonists and have taken delight in unravelling the various puzzles that the story presents. To know that we will now embark on our next journey is, for us showrunners, a dream come true. And our fans can be sure that we have plenty of surprises in store for the second season of DARK."

Producer Quirin Berg concludes: "Jantje Friese, Baran Bo Odar, our wonderful actors and our fantastic team have put an incredible amount of energy into making DARK a unique and gripping series. We thank all of those who have accompanied us on this path. And we thank Netflix for their trust and for the excellent cooperation. We are extremely happy that DARK has by now received such an overwhelming response, both in Germany and around the world, and we are particularly thrilled about the quick decision by Netflix to take it into a second season. We can hardly wait to continue telling the story!"

DARK is now streaming on Netflix

About DARK

DARK is set in a German town in present day where the disappearance of two young children exposes the double lives and fractured relationships among four families. In ten, hour-long episodes, the story takes on a supernatural twist that ties back to the same town in 1986.

Written by Jantje Friese and directed Baran bo Odar (Who Am I - No System is Safe), DARK is a chilling mystery-drama-series: an intricate puzzle full of twists. Slick camerawork and realistic performances enhance a textured web of curious characters, all of whom have a connection to the town's troubled history, whether they know it or not.

DARK premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.

About the showrunners

Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, both graduates of the University of Television and Film Munich, have been working together since Odar's directing debut The Silence. Their most recent feature film is Who Am I - No System Is Safe with Tom Schilling and Elyas M'Barek. The thriller was celebrated at the 2014 International Film Festival in Toronto and was critical and commercial success in Germany, awarded with three German Film Awards and the Bambi for Best German Film. Odar, who was included in the list of "Ten Directors to Watch" by Variety, made his Hollywood debut with Sleepless starring Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, which premiered on March 9, 2017.

About Wiedemann & Berg

Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann founded their production company Wiedemann & Berg in 2003, which has established itself as one of the most successful production companies in Germany. The Lives of Others, their first feature film, won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Further box office hits followed, including Baran bo Odars Who Am I - No System Is Safe with Justyna Muesch as executive producer. Their latest comedy Willkommen bei den Hartmanns was the highest-grossing German film at the national box-office in 2016 with 3.6 million sold tickets. In 2010, the two producers founded Wiedemann & Berg Television, producing a wide range of films, mini-series and series for major German television stations as well as the first German pay-TV series in 2012 and now the first German Netflix original series. Both producers have received numerous prizes including an Academy Award, BAFTA, César, European Film Awards, LA Critics Award, Bambi, Bavarian Film Awards, German Television Award, German Film Awards, Grimme Award and the Magnolia Award.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with over 109 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 140 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.