The creators of Netflix’s time-traveling science-fiction thriller Dark, Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, return with another mind-melding adventure. This time, it’s an historical mystery/horror, set aboard a doomed ocean liner.
1899 follows a ship of hopeful European immigrants journeying to America. Even before strange occurrences begin, they all seem to be trying to get away for a darker reason. But things really start to shake up when they spot another ship in the distance.
Emily Beecham (Hail, Caesar!) stars in the lead role, with Aneurin Barnard, Andreas Pietschmann, Miguel Bernardeau, Maciej Musiał, Anton Lesser, and Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen in other roles. Many of the actors will be speaking in their native tongues, something that was very important to the creators.
“We felt that with the past years of Europe being on the decline, we wanted to give a counterpoint to Brexit, and to nationalism rising in different countries, to go back to that idea of Europe and Europeans working and creating together,” Friese told Deadline.
“Being true to the cultures and the languages was really important, we never wanted to have characters from different countries but everyone speaks English,” Friese added. “We wanted to explore this heart of Europe, where everyone comes from somewhere else and speaks a different language, and language defines so much of your culture and your behavior.”
1899 is set to premiere later this year.
