The sci-fi series Dark wowed Netflix audiences worldwide, this year the team behind it returns with 1899, which you should definitely have on your radar.
Maybe you’ve seen it on Twitter or Instagram: An ocean liner floating dangerously close to a geometrically neatly drawn sea cliff. The first poster for the new Netflix series 1899 raises about twice as many questions as it answers. But that’s the point. Because 1899 has what it takes to become your new series obsession, and here are three spoiler-free reasons why.
Reason 1: The Dark Team guarantees the best mystery entertainment
1899 is the new project by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, who have already created the time travel series Dark together. In the three seasons of Netflix’s best German series, they have shown a knack for enigmatic, brain-knotting storylines and found a satisfying ending for the story despite the many mysteries.
But beyond the plot, Dark also stood out for its rainy, gloomy atmosphere. Now on board at 1899 are some essential personnel from Dark who were responsible for this. These include cinematographer Nikolaus Summerer, composer Ben Frost and production designer Udo Kramer.
Reason 2: Ships always go, as even Hercule Poirot knew
The plot of 1899 seems quite original in the mishmash of fantasy series, superhero stories and about three dozen Harlan Coben adaptations.
The series takes place on a migrant ship that is supposed to travel from Europe to the USA in 1899 and accommodates numerous different passengers who dream of a new life in the land of unlimited possibilities. However, on the journey they encounter a second ship that has been missing for months. From then on, the journey turns into a nightmare.
Thus we have:
- A mystery story
- An unusual historical setting with possible parallels to our present day
- A ship. All who have seen Death on the Nile know that many people in a confined space produce murderous, or at least exciting, entanglements.
Reason 3: The Mandalorian influenced the Netflix series
One of the lessons of filmmaking is never shoot on water. It’s incredibly expensive, complicated and hard to control. But green screens, which are supposed to represent the sea, often look cheap in series. To get around this problem, the 1899 team relies on what they call “volume”. These are huge LED video screens that surround the actors during filming. The technique became famous through The Mandalorian. But at 1899 they go even further.
A virtual production studio was built in Babelsberg especially for the Netflix series. It was christened Dark Bay. This was necessary because while The Mandalorian was partly filmed in normal locations, the new mystery series is set entirely on the ocean.
The video shows how the Dark Bay was built for 1899:
So in terms of technology, the series is breaking new ground. Now it just has to deliver on quality. The first reactions to 1899 already sound promising.
When will 1899 start on Netflix?
1899 is supposed to come to Netflix in autumn or winter 2022. The exact launch date could be revealed as early as next week when the streaming service unveils new projects at its Tudum event.
