German Studio Eyes Hollywood with Star-Studded Thrillers

German production company Augenschein is significantly elevating its profile with an increased number of Hollywood projects and larger budgets. Following successes like 'Mother Mary,' the company, led by Jonas Katzenstein and Maximilian Leo, has initiated ambitious productions.

High-profile projects include 'Flesh of the Gods,' a 1980s Los Angeles-set vampire thriller starring Kristen Stewart and Wagner Moura, directed by Panos Cosmatos. Filming for this atmospheric and stylish movie has been taking place in Tenerife and Germany, with additional plate shootings in L.A.

Another major production, 'Left Seat,' an airplane thriller starring Michelle Rodriguez and Richard Gere, has concluded filming in Bavaria and entered post-production. Augenschein is also developing smaller, fully financeable films like 'Bloody Tennis,' which is screening to buyers.

The company's strategy involves creating filmmaker-driven material that remains financeable, often utilizing European soft money and film funds to support bolder genre approaches. This allows for more creative risks, especially when combining national and regional incentives, such as Germany's revamped film incentives that offer a 30% tax shelter yield.

Maximilian Leo noted that recent years have seen a challenging market with high volatility in North America and streamer backing. Despite this, Augenschein's production volume and approach have elevated them, attracting high-level filmmakers and enabling the development of more renowned projects.