Colin Firth to hunt for a serial killer in 1920s Germany

The Oscar winner has joined the cast of a new detective thriller for Apple TV+, based on Philip Kerr's 'Berlin Noir' book series.

Colin Firth will play a key role in the series, which will transport viewers to the atmosphere of Weimar Berlin in the late 1920s. The actor will join Jack Lowden, who was previously confirmed for the lead role of detective Bernie Gunther. The project currently does not have an official title and is filming in Berlin.

Adaptation of 'Metropolis' and the Creative Team
The upcoming series will be an adaptation of the novel 'Metropolis' — the final book in Philip Kerr's cycle about detective Bernie Gunther, dedicated to the beginning of his professional career.

The screenplay was written by Oscar winner Peter Straughan ('Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'), with Tom Shankland ('The House of Guinness') in the director's chair. Production is handled by Bad Wolf Studios and PlayTone, the company owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.

Berlin 1928 and Bernie Gunther's First Case
The series is set in Berlin in 1928 — a city torn between unprecedented freedom and growing turbulence, where the Nazis remain, for now, only a distant threat.

A young police officer, Bernie Gunther, recently transferred to the elite homicide division, gets his first major case. His target is a serial killer who chooses victims from among the most vulnerable sections of society. In this dark and unstable world, Gunther must fight for the truth at any cost.

Colin Firth's Role and Duo Dynamics
Colin Firth will play the role of Paul Lohser — a brilliant but withdrawn and unpleasant detective from the same unit. Meticulous, unsociable, and highly educated, Lohser is the complete opposite of Gunther.

Becoming his mentor and partner, he turns into the young detective's only hope of solving the complex case. Their professional partnership promises to be one of the key dramatic elements of the series.

Context: The Actor's Upcoming Projects
In the near future, viewers can look forward to several new releases featuring Colin Firth. On March 4, 2026, Guy Ritchie's series 'Young Sherlock' will premiere on Prime Video. Additionally, the actor will appear in Steven Spielberg's film 'The Disclosure' and in the next installment of the 'Kingsman' franchise — 'Kingsman: The Blue Bloods'.