Apple TV+ branches into German originals

Apple TV+ has landed its debut German original, a dark comedy from the producers of Disney+ series Sam – A Saxon.

Where’s Wanda? centres around a fundamental parental concern: how far would you go to save your child? For Dedo and Carlotta Klatt, the answer is anything, including illicit surveillance.  

Having existed as a normal family with their 17-year-old daughter Wanda, the Klatts’ life is disrupted when Wanda goes missing. Having waited in vain for the police to bring her back, they take matters into their own hands, with the help of their tech-savvy son Ole.  

Obtaining surveillance devices, the Klatts disguise themselves as employees of an electrical company. They bug their neighbourhood and then half the local suburb, quick learning that, behind closed doors, none of their neighbours are who they pretend to be. 

The eight-part series is produced by Fremantle label UFA Fiction, which besides historical drama Sam – A Saxon (Sam – Ein Sachse) is producing dystopian epic Helgoland 513 for Sky Deutschland.  

Where’s Wanda? is written by RTS-nominated Oliver Lansley (Whites, FW, Mr Sloane) and is based on a story by Zoltan Spirandelli (Lulu). It is directed by award-winning filmmakers Christian Ditter (Girlboss) and Tobi Baumann (Die Wespe), an exec produced by Nataly Kudiabor (Arthur‘s Law) and Sebastian Werninger (Deutschland83). 

It will star a clutch of international talent including Heike Makatsch as Carlotta, Axel Stein as Dedo as well as Lea Drinda, newcomer Leo Simon, presenter and actress Palina Rojinski and entrepreneur, actress and author Nikeata Thompson. 

It is the inaugural title to emerge from Germany for Apple TV+, whose European output is headed up by chief Jay Hunt, and will join French fashion drama La Maison as part of its recent European commissions to sit alongside current titles Hijack, Liaison and Slow Horses.  

A version of this story appeared on our sister site Broadcast.