NBCUniversal International Networks (NBCUIN) has announced the acquisition of SPIDES – a new, alien invasion thriller to air on SYFY – the destination channel brand for fans of science fiction and fantasy genres – around the world.* The eight, one-hour episode series will premiere from late 2019 in the UK, France, Iberia, Germany, Latin America, Poland, Romania, Balkans, Middle East, Africa, Australia and Brazil.

SPIDES is written by Rainer Matsutani, Eckhard Vollmar, Peter Hume, Carola Lowitz and Mark Wachholz, and produced by Katapult Filmproduktion and Red Sun Films in co-operation with Palatin Media, who also distributes the series.

Set in modern-day Berlin, SPIDES follows Nora – played by Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (Game of Thrones) – a young woman who wakes from a coma without any memory of her previous life after taking a mysterious drug; local police detective David Leonhart – played by Falk Hentschel (Legends of Tomorrow, Marvels Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and his partner Nique Navar – played by Florence Kasumba (Avengers, Black Panther) – are hunting down that drug in relation to dozens of missing teens. When Nora sets out to discover what happened to her, she begins to unravel a conspiracy of aliens who are using a synthetic drug to infiltrate humans to use as host bodies. The more truth Nora uncovers, the more of her own dark secret is revealed: she is the key to the invasion she is fighting.

SPIDES also stars Damian Hardung (Name Of The Rose) as Alex; Désirée Nosbusch (Bad Banks) as Nora’s mother; Susanne Wuest (Perfume) as Dr. Bridget Herter, an ambitious Chief Neurologist at the Torsen Institute; Aleksandar Jovanovic (Tatort, Dr Who) as Robert Prokopp the tight-lipped security chief; Branko Tomovic (Homeland, 24) as Boris, a Russian mobster; Kimberly Leemans (The Walking Dead, Nashville) as Cleo, the owner of Rapture nightclub, plus many more.

“As a science fiction thriller with a twist, SPIDES will be anything but alien to our SYFY channels around the world,” commented Steve Patscheck, EVP International Programming, NBCUniversal International Networks. “We place fans of the sci-fi genre at the centre of everything we do, including acquiring and curating a compelling range of programming that resonates with viewers from every corner of the globe.”

“Palatin is proud to have in NBCUniversal International Networks the best possible partner for this outstanding show. We have been extremely lucky to ensemble such an excellent team both in front of and behind the camera with such a stellar cast including Rosabell, Falk, Florence, Damian and Désirée to name just a few,” said Bernd Schlötterer, CEO of Palatin Media and Executive Producer.

Rainer Matsutani (Raging Inferno, Wild Land, Over My Dead Body) is Showrunner, Writer and Director, Alexander Kiening is Producer, while Bernd Schlötterer, James Cabourne & Wolfgang Behr are Executive Producers. Nevision, Aventin Film and Baby Giant Hollyberg are co-producers.

SPIDES is currently in production in Berlin, Germany.

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