• The series has been recommissioned following hit ratings across Europe and a successful premiere in the US on PBS
  • Produced by Endor Productions and MR Film, Vienna Blood will start shooting in March 2022
  • Global distribution will be handled by Red Arrow Studios International

Vienna Blood, the thrilling period crime drama set in 1900s Vienna has been recommissioned for a third season, following stellar ratings across Europe and a successful premiere in the US on PBS.

The series, which will begin production this spring, has been commissioned by ORF (Austria) and ZDF (Germany) and acquired by BBC Two and PBS.

A ratings hit across Europe, including entertaining more than a quarter of Austrian TV viewers, Vienna Blood has also won critical acclaim from leading global publications: “Vienna Blood is a brilliant murder mystery series anchored in history”, Forbes; “a treat for detective thriller fans as delicious as a slice of Austrian sachertorte”, The Mail on Sunday.

Produced by award-winning production company Endor Productions (Deep State, Anansi Boys) and MR Film in Austria (Maximilian, Das Sacher), the new episodes will again be adapted by acclaimed screenwriter Steve Thompson (Jericho, Sherlock, Deep State, Leonardo), based on the bestselling novels by Frank Tallis.

Jez Swimer, Producer, Endor Productions, said: “Vienna Blood’s fabulous combination of mystery, crime, the odd couple pairing of Matthew Beard’s psychiatrist Max Liebermann and Juergen Maurer’s Inspector Rheinhardt, and sumptuous 1907 Vienna has captivated viewers around the world. We are excited to deliver a new series of compelling stories to its growing global fanbase.”

Oliver Auspitz and Andreas Kamm of MR Film added: “We are delighted that we will soon start shooting our third season of Vienna Blood, thanks to the trust and the support of commissioning broadcasters ORF and ZDF, and all our other funding partners, including Red Arrow Studios International, BBC Two and PBS. Steve Thompson has written three great new scripts and we are looking forward to continuing to meet the high expectations of our growing audience worldwide.

Together with our director Robert Dornhelm, our leads Matthew Beard and Juergen Maurer, all the other outstanding actors, and our great crew, we can’t wait to travel back in time to 1907 Vienna to deliver another thrilling and entertaining season.”

Tim Gerhartz, president & managing director, Red Arrow Studios International, commented: “We are delighted that Vienna Blood has been commissioned for a third season. This bold, ambitious, primetime drama with its gripping storylines, sumptuous locations, skilful direction and fantastic cast has captured the imagination of viewers on every continent. We can’t wait to share this much anticipated new season with our clients around the world.”

Roland Weissmann, Director General, ORF said: “Congratulations and thanks to MR Film, Endor Productions, director Robert Dornhelm, writer Steve Thompson, our fabulous cast headed by Matthew Beard and Juergen Maurer and all our international partners, first and foremost ZDF, BBC and PBS, for having contributed to the continuing success story of Vienna Blood. We look forward to returning to 1907 Vienna for a new season of high value entertainment based on the novels by Frank Tallis.”

The series will be directed by Academy Award® and Emmy® nominee Robert Dornhelm (Anne Frank: The Whole Story), the lead director of the first two series of Vienna Blood.

The producers of Vienna Blood are Jez Swimer for Endor; Oliver Auspitz and Andreas Kamm for MR Film; commissioning editors are Klaus Lintschinger for ORF and Wolfgang Feindt for ZDF; executive producers are Steve Thompson; Hilary Bevan Jones and Carlo Dusi for Endor, and Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia for Red Arrow Studios International. The Hungarian service producers are Esther Turan and Viki Trepper of Moviebar Productions.

ORF and ZDF will screen the show in their respective territories.

Other funding partners include Televisionfund Austria, National Filmoffice Hungary and TV-Filmfund Vienna.

Red Arrow Studios International will distribute the series globally.