The Netflix series “1899” is written, created, and developed by Baran bo Odar and his wife, Jantje Friese, alongside a writing team.
On November 13, 2018, it was revealed that Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the creators of the Netflix original series Dark, would be working on the project. This was part of their larger contract with the streaming service.
Two weeks later, the series' future was confirmed at a Netflix press event showcasing European original content. Bo Odar disclosed on Instagram in July 2020 that Friese had finished penning the script for "The Ship," the episode's pilot.
The staff writing team included authors from various countries, including Dario Madrona from Spain, Emil Nygaard Albertsen and Coline Abert from France, Jerome Bucchan-Nelson from the UK, Juliana Lima Dehne from Brazil, and Joshua Long from the US (from Denmark).
All scripts, according to director Baran bo Odar, were initially written in English before the staff writers and/or translators translated the non-English portions. Language assistants were present while filming to ensure that the dialogue was accurate, and Odar had phonetic copies of the script on the set.
How did 1899 develop?
Friese explained how the European migrant crisis and Brexit had an impact on the series during an interview with Deadline Hollywood, saying,
"The whole European angle was very important for us, not only story-wise but also in the way we were going to produce it. It really had to be a European collaboration, not just cast but also crew. 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 together and creating together.”
She further added, “Being true to the cultures and the languages was really important; we never wanted to have characters from different countries, but everyone speaks English. 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."
Two additional seasons, more complex than season 1, are planned by Friese and Bo Odar because Friese and Bo Odar were inspired to create a three-season structure. The theme, characters, and major questions were established in the first season.
Maura's brother would play a significant role in the second season, which, if it were to be produced by Netflix, would explain the symbolism of the triangles. "All about the fun and games, where you play with the theme and maybe get a little more megalomaniacal and crazy, and then resolve it in the third season into a hopefully satisfying resolution," said Bo Odar of this second act.
Was Netflix’s 1899 plagiarized?
The Brazilian comic book author Mary Cagnin came forward shortly after the debut of the new Netflix series "1899" and claimed that several elements of the show were lifted from one of her creations. "I'm shocked," Cagnin wrote on Twitter, "that the series '1899' is simply identical to my comic 'Black Silence,' published in 2016." She makes reference to the pyramid, the ship, and the diverse crew and posits that the series' creators came across her work at an international comics convention.
She continues by tweeting that there are "countless cases of gringos copying us," whether in movies, series, or music. She mentions Yann Martel, a Canadian author of the popular book and film "Life of Pi," who acknowledged that he was inspired by a book from Brazil.
The creators of "1899" and the hugely popular international series "Dark," Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese, believe they have been falsely accused and maintain that they were not aware of her work. Since they are artists themselves, the pair vowed that they would never steal from other creators. Lawyers are now handling the case.
The writers of "1899" found themselves at the center of controversy after being attacked on Twitter and Instagram by Mary Cagnin's fans, who claimed that the Brazilian author's ideas had been stolen. Fans of her comics have started to offer proof, describing which scenes, characters, and symbols they believe the "1899" team stole from them.
Fans of "1899," on the other hand, assert that the cited examples are fundamental components of the science fiction subgenre and cannot be specifically claimed. The creator of "1899," Baran Bo Odar, addressed the online uproar in a very direct manner on Instagram. He and his wife, co-author Jantje Friese, had recently been the targets of slanderous online attacks. He claims that the internet is now a strange place.
What was the spark behind Netflix’s 1899?
Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the creators of 1899, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview on November 16, 2022.
On being asked about the real idea behind the 1899 series, Friese said, “Actually, the idea and the spark for it happened years ago. It’s been quite a process getting here. It was originally a photo that we found. We were doing research for something completely different; I actually don’t even remember what the research was for. But we stumbled upon a picture of a man in a white shirt covered in blood, with a hammer in his hand and a really weird look on his face, standing on top of what looked like an old boat."
She further added, “It was one of those pictures you’re drawn to, where you immediately 2015–16),king questions: What did he do with that hammer? Where does he come from? Where’s he going? What’s this all about? Immediately, I had the idea that this might be a migrant on a ship. But what happened on that ship? That was the big question.”
Friese continued, “At the same time, the refugee crisis was happening in Europe (around 2015-16) and it was a very unstable phase. We were actually really afraid of what was going on. It felt like a unified Europe was slowly breaking apart, like every country was doing its own thing. There were lots of right-wing ideas bubbling up. Brexit happened. All this we sort of incorporated into our story.“
FAQs
Q. Who wrote 1899?
A. Netflix's 1899 was written by Baran Bo Odar and his wife, Jantje Friese, with the help of a writing team and various linguistic assistants and writers.
Q. Is Netflix's 1899 series plagiarized?
A. Netflix’s 1899 has been accused of plagiarism by Brazilian author Mary Cagnin, though the matter is in court and the German creators have denied allegations.
Q. How much is Netflix's 1899 budget?
A. The series had a €60 million budget, of which €2 million came from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, €10 million from the German Motion Picture Fund, and €48 million from Netflix.
