Constantin Film Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Ed Meza @edmezavarIn his more than three decades at Constantin Film, Martin Moszkowicz has overseen the production of hundreds of films, including such box office successes as “Downfall,” “The Baader Meinhof Complex,” the hugely popular “Fack Ju Go­ehte” films and the hit “Resident Evil” franchise.This year’s CinemaCon is honoring Constantin’s longtime CEO for his work and continuing success at the global box office.Speaking to Variety, Moszkowicz looks back at his career and discusses Constantin’s current challenges, its diverse lineup, new productions and expanding film and television activities.Moszkowicz has headed Germany’s most successful production and distribution group since 2014. While Germany remains its main market, Constantin has had a global outlook since its beginnings, and it was due in part to Moszkowicz’s international experience that he landed his first job at the company.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentHamburg 1982. Andreas, in the family bathroom, spies his mother’s stockings, pulls one over his head breathing in deeply.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentWith U.S. streamers still driving local market growth, TV producers in continental Europe are juggling between the Hollywood studio business model — under which Netflix and the likes get all rights in return for full-financing plus a fee — and the pre-existing European model based on co-productions that leave indie producers with backend and give them more creative control.But that is starting to change.Thanks to the E.U.’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) — currently in various stages of implementation across Europe — there are early indications that giant platforms are slowly becoming more open to flexibly structured deals.

Naman Ramachandran Popular Pakistani-Canadian actor Ahad Raza Mir has been cast in Netflix original series “Resident Evil,” Variety has confirmed. Netflix has not yet revealed details of the character Mir will be playing in the series.“Resident Evil” is a live action, scripted series that will tell a new story building on Capcom’s hit video game franchise. Lance Reddick is set to star as Albert Wesker and the cast also includes Ella Balinska, Tamara Smart, Siena Agudong, Adeline Rudolph, and Paola Nuñez.Constantin Film, which previously produced the six-feature film franchise based on the games, will serve as the studio behind the series.

Ben Croll Fueled in no small part by international streamers looking to entrench their market share, production days skyrocketed across the European continent in 2021. But if the last year marked a gold rush for both service providers and content hungry viewers, independent producers have been feeling the squeeze.“It’s not a golden age when it comes to IP retention,” said Katharina Hiersemenzel, senior VP public policy of German mini-major Constantin Film.

Netflix has shown its commitment to the German-speaking creative scene by unveiling 19 projects from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix has doubled its budget to €500 million ($571 million) for German-language productions between 2021 and 2023 and has revealed a raft of new projects.On Tuesday, the Netflix German-language team presented a selection of 19 productions, including previously announced projects, at the Content Remote Show. The shows are from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBerlin-based sales agency Picture Tree Intl. has added to its European Film Market slate “Love Thing,” starring top German actor Elyas M’Barek, whose credits include “The Collini Case.” Also on the slate is “Soul of a Beast,” which debuts its trailer below.Despite the virtual nature of the EFM, the company has taken additional office space at the Marriott Hotel in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz.“Love Thing,” which also stars Lucie Heinze, Peri Baumeister and Alexandra Maria Lara, is directed and written by Anika Decker, whose last feature “High Society” sold widely.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorThe Writers Guild of America has told members not to work for Germany’s Constantin Film, which the union maintains is not a signatory to the 2020 Minimum Basic Agreement.The WGA instructed members in a message sent Friday afternoon that it is invoking its Working Rule 8 to bar members from working for Constantin Film Development.

Naman Ramachandran Former Disney Plus and Netflix executive Matt Brodlie and ex-Sierra/Affinity president Jonathan Kier have teamed to launch Los Angeles-based Upgrade Productions. The duo will serve as co-presidents.With backing from German powerhouse Constantin Film and a strategic partnership with Bron, Upgrade will develop and produce premium local language productions for a global audience.

Industry vets Matt Brodlie and Jonathan Kier are joining forces to launch their own Los Angeles-based banner, Upgrade Productions, which will focus on international content.

Constantin Inks RTL Licensing Deal

Jack Huston is leading the latest take on The Count of Monte Cristo.

With global screen sectors increasingly in flux thanks to the aftershocks of an unprecedented pandemic coupled with intensifying streaming wars, it would be easy to see why execs in the business could feel a little on the apprehensive side. But for Oliver Berben, deputy CEO and deputy chairman of German production and distribution powerhouse Constantin Film, this is the golden age of international content production. 

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor“Resident Evil” producer Constantin Film has acquired the rights to Lee Goldberg’s movie script for thriller “The Walk,” which he adapted from his bestselling novel. Goldberg has served as the showrunner of “Diagnosis Murder” and “Martial Law.”In “The Walk,” after an apocalyptic earthquake, a studio exec is making his way by foot from downtown L.A.

Also Read: Disney+ Turns 1: What Worked and What Didn't for Netflix's Biggest RivalAlso starring in “Black Beauty” are Glen, Claire Forlani and Calam Lynch. JB Pictures’ Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer from Constantin Film are producers, and Martin Moszkowicz, Edward Winters and Jon Brown are executive producers.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentSaban Films has acquired the rights to two titles from Munich-based “Resident Evil” producer Constantin Film.The deals include North American and U.K. rights to the adventure thriller “Tides,” directed by Tim Fehlbaum, and North American rights to director Mike P.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentPicture Tree International has picked up world sales rights on Sönke Wortmann’s latest feature “Contra.” PTI will launch the film onto the market with a first promo at AFM, which starts Monday.“Contra” had its world premiere at the 16th Zurich Film Festival, and is set for a Christmas release in German-speaking territories by Constantin Film, one of the world’s top independent distributors.

Constantin Film, Germany's leading independent studio, has brought up the release of three films —including Monster Hunter starring Milla Jovovich—to help local theaters fill the void left by studios pushing their 2020 tentpoles to next year. Constantin will release Monster Hunter in Germany Dec.3, three weeks ahead of Sony's U.S.release of the film on Dec.

'Belle' helmer Amma Asante is set to direct the TV drama Smilla's Sense of Snow for Constantin Film. The series, shortly to be shopped to cable networks and streamers, follows Smilla Jaspersen, whose investigation into the mysterious death of an immigrant Inuit child from the projects evolves into a much grander supernatural epic.

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed British director Amma Asante (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Mrs America”) will direct a drama series adaptation of acclaimed novel “Smilla’s Sense of Snow” for German outfit Constantin Film.Based on the bestselling book by Peter Höeg, and created and written by Clive Bradley (“Trapped”), the series will follows Smilla Jaspersen, whose investigation into the mysterious death of an immigrant Inuit child from the projects evolves into a much grander supernatural epic.

Resident Evil is getting the Netflix treatment!

Add Resident Evil to the list of video games that are being turned into a TV series. Following months of development and an extensive search for a showrunner, Netflix has officially ordered eight episodes of a Resident Evil TV series.

Resident Evil is coming to TV.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVResident Evil is officially headed to television.

Bora Dagtekin, Germany's most consistent hitmaker, has extended his exclusive deal with local mini-major Constantin Film through to 2025. Under the deal, announced Wednesday, Dagtekin will deliver three more features for Constantin, all of which will be produced by his long-term production partner Lena Schömann.

Also Read: Disney+ in August: Here's Everything New Coming“Black Beauty” is directed by Ashley Avis (“Adolescence”) who also wrote the screenplay adaptation. JB Pictures’ Jeremy Bolt (“Polar,” “Monster Hunter”) and Robert Kulzer (“Polar”) from Constantin Film are producers and Martin Moszkowicz, Edward Winters and Jon Brown are executive producers.

Leo Barraclough Senior International Correspondent“Resident Evil” and “Shadowhunters” producer Constantin Film has renewed the contracts of its long-serving CEO Martin Moszkowicz and TV and digital chief Oliver Berben, and promoted Berben to deputy CEO.Moszkowicz has been CEO of Constantin Film since Jan.

Also Read: 'John Wick' Creator Derek Kolstad to Adapt Video Game 'Just Cause' for Constantin FilmWhile the film’s plot is being kept under wraps, as with the four “Just Cause” games the film will follow Rico Rodriguez on a race-against-time mission to stop the Black Hand, a lethal mercenary group.

Constantin Film, Germany's leading indie production company, unveiled its new slate of high-end series Monday as part of the Berlin Film Festival's Berlinale Series section on small-screen productions. The big new show announced was Der Palast (The Palast) from famed director Uli Edel (The Baader Meinhof Complex), a period drama set at famed eastern Berlin theater the Friedrichstadt-Palast.