Drama series ‘The Kim Dotcom Story’ by ZDF Studios and Boogie Entertainment more topical than ever
Mainz and Berlin, 19 August 2024
The eagerly awaited international series ‘The Kim Dotcom Story’ (6 x 45'), based on the bestseller “The Secret Life of Kim Dotcom: Spies, Lies and the War for the Internet” by David Fisher, is more relevant than ever due to current developments. After years of legal battles, it is now official: Kim Dotcom, the internet entrepreneur and founder of the file-sharing platform Megaupload, is to be extradited to the USA.
This development sheds new light on the circumstances surrounding Dotcom's spectacular arrest and his fight against the charges brought by the US authorities for the series. The FBI and CIA have prevailed and Dotcom will now face trial in the United States for numerous offences, including copyright infringement and fraud. There he faces a prison sentence of several decades.
‘The Kim Dotcom Story’ delves deep into the complex personality of Kim Dotcom and sheds light on the background to his rise to tech genius, his international empire and his dramatic fall at the hands of the US authorities. The series is a co-production of ZDF Studios and Boogie Entertainment with Robert Franke, VP Drama at ZDF Studios, and Rolant Hergert, producer and founder of Boogie Entertainment, as Executive Producers. All six episodes will be written by the renowned British author James Payne, who is known for his gripping and high-calibre scripts (The Window, Mr Selfridge, Hooten & The Lady etc.).
Producer Rolant Hergert: ‘Pre-production has started successfully. We are enthusiastic about James Payne's scripts and the casting process has begun. In the autumn, we will be working with our New Zealand partners to further develop the cast and secure locations in Auckland and the surrounding area, including Dotcom's spectacular estate. International interest in the series is immense and discussions are already underway with a US streamer.'
Robert Franke, VP Drama at ZDF Studios: ‘I am very excited about this project because the “Kim Dotcom Story” takes a look behind the scenes of power and shows how economic interests can influence political decisions. Kim Dotcom's story sheds light on the limits of digital freedom and how politics and lobbying influence it. It's a story we need to tell because it concerns us all - not just in 2024, but far beyond.’
The series is scheduled for completion in 2025. It will be distributed exclusively by ZDF Studios, which already has the football drama ‘The Window’ (10 x 45'), a co-production by Boogie Entertainment with Fuji Television Network and ZDF Studios, in its distribution catalogue.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, D-55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, E-mail: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com