production: international feature series co-production
genre: dystopian crime thriller
year of production: 2025-2026
director: Max Zähle and Félix Koch
camera: Frank Küpper
script: Nicolas Steil, Pierre Majerus, Jan Cronauer, and Christophe Wagner
showrunner: Nicolas Steil
language: English
starring: Oliver Masucci (Dark, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit), Sophie Mousel (Capitani), Sibel Kekilli (Game of Thrones), Gijs Naber (Judas, Black Book), Elise Schaap (Dead End, Faithfully Yours, Hotel Sinestra), Marc Limpach (Hinterland, Bad Banks, Munich: The Edge of War) and Alexander Scheer (Blood & Gold, Sloborn)
produced by: Iris Group (Luxembourg, Germany – Nicolas Steil, Katarzyna Ozga) in co-production with Syrreal Group (Germany – Sigi Kamml, Christian Alvart, Timm Oberwelland, Katrin Weikart), Topkapi Series (Netherlands – Frans van Gestel, Sebastian Korteweg, Laurette Schillings), and Enter Film (Poland – Bartek Glinski, Anna Blawut Mazurkiewicz),
co-financed by: Polish Film Institute / 30% Cash Rebate
DRONELAND
DRONELAND, a dystopian near-future crime thriller explores the intersection of surveillance, technology, and power in a fractured Europe. The six-part international series (6×45 minutes) is based on the novel Drohnenland by Tom Hillenbrand. Starring an international cast, the story follows an unlikely duo of a haunted war veteran and an idealistic Europol agent as they uncover a tech conspiracy threatening the very fabric of reality.
With a distinct European identity—gritty and grounded— DRONELAND tackles universal issues in an age where AI, surveillance, and the lure of digital utopias are redefining society. The parallels to real-world discourse around technology, populism, and democracy offer a timely narrative, anchored by characters whose emotional struggles resonate globally.
DRONELAND is supported by a coalition of major European broadcasters and public funds, including Film Fund Luxembourg, RTL Luxembourg, ZDF, Magenta TV, RTL Netherlands, German Motion Picture Fund, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Netherlands Film Fonds, Polish Film Institute, Council of Europe Pilot Programme for Series Co-productions and Creative Europe MEDIA. International distribution by New Regency.
Filmed in the Republic of Poland with the support provided through the Act On Financial Support For Audio-Visual Production by the Polish Film Institute and funded by the Ministry Of Culture and National Heritage.
Co-financed by Creative Europe – Media – 2025 TV Online granted by European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).