The Swarm is perhaps the largest German series production in history, surpassed at most by the Netflix mystery 1899. The film adaptation of Frank Schätzing’s successful sci-fi novel is in progress starting next week in the ZDF media library. The international mega-project is supposed to be at “Marvel level” – it could all be so beautiful.
But a few days before the start they get each other two probably most important people in the hair: Novel creator Fank Schätzing and series creator Frank Doelger. In the last step, even ZDF got involved.
Frank Schätzing is dissatisfied with the adaptation of his novel
What is The Swarm about? In different corners of the world, strange phenomena related to the sea are suddenly happening: whales attacking tourist boats in Canada. Shells that disable freighters. Lobsters unleashing disease in a French restaurant.
Scientists are watching the destructive animals with concern. In order to get to the bottom of the ecological threat, they have to pool their findings. Are there intelligent beings coordinating an attack in the depths of the uncharted oceans?
The Swarm – Teaser Trailer (German subtitles) HD
The root of The swarm dispute is far in the past. Schätzing withdrew from the project early in development of the series when Doelger broke with the agreement to let Schätzing do the storytelling of the series. “We just weren’t a team anymore”the author told Time .
Schätzing now also judges the quality of the series from a distance and his conclusion is gloomy:
“Some things are ready for the cinema, other touching and talkative relationship box TV. It pilchers more than it raves“.
Doelger also failed to interweave the story with current developments in the climate catastrophe, which would have made sense:
2004 [als das Buch erschien] climate change was less present, there was no social media. Since then, media and communication dynamics have accelerated enormously. The series does not take this into account, nor does it take current social and geopolitical developments into account. Even the characters seem strangely de-modernized.
And if the series adds anything to the novel, it doesn’t make sense. Schätzing describes a new subplot as “Cobbled together nonsense with no current relevance”.
This is how Frank Doelger defends himself against the criticism of the swarm
Frank Doelger is a renowned series maker. As a producer, he was involved in, among other things, Game of Thrones. Of course he doesn’t let the criticism sit on him. Doelger stated to DWDL that bestselling film adaptations “always a very delicate matter” be. “And you always hope that the writer will be happy with the TV series or movie that’s based on it.”
Regarding the differences to the book, Doelger says: “Every successful adaptation has to be successful in its own way. That’s why I suggested making The Swarm a character-driven series: simplifying the science, but making sure the core stays intact and fits into the story .”
In addition, the lack of reference to current phenomena was a conscious decision: “With our series we want to tell a very complex topic – science and climate change – in an extremely entertaining and exciting way. In order to treat this broad and all-encompassing topic in a timely manner, we have refrained from explicitly addressing certain current political phenomena, such as the Fridays -for-Future Movement.”
Initially, he and Schätzing shared their visionbut “As the series started to take on a life of its own, our and his ideas of what the series could be diverged.”
How ZDF reacted to the swarm dispute
The broadcaster ZDF is trying to brighten the mood around its expensive project. “In our view, The Swarm is a very successful and contemporary adaptation of the 2004 novel.”
Who is right now and whether the 40 million euro project, if not the expectations of Schätzing, then at least meets those of the audience, you can do that from February 22 in the ZDF media library see. The Swarm will begin broadcasting linearly on March 6th.
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