Disney+’s European Originals Slate Births ‘City of Blood’
We’ll give Disney this: for all that the last decade has shown the limits of the company’s global ambitions, it hasn’t given up trying.
We’ll give Disney this: for all that the last decade has shown the limits of the company’s global ambitions, it hasn’t given up trying. Despite being a brand whose entire identity rests on a rapidly fading ideal of American imperialism and cultural hegemony, the House of Mouse is determined to be among the survivors of the streaming wars who emerge as leaders in 21st-century entertainment. If that means commissioning series set across Europe, in languages other than English, then by god, that’s what they make.
Not that it wants Americans to realize this. Like its U.K. commissions, such as Rivals, Say Nothing, and Extraordinary, these shows were announced with little fanfare and are being undermarketed here at home. The latest batch – all of which are aimed at the German market – was quietly unveiled back in March 2026; they include the supernatural thriller City of Blood, an opulent Austrian period drama titled Vienna Game, the teen soap Westwell, and a crime novel adaptation, currently under the working title of Monster.
(Rivals managing to break out despite Disney burying Season 1 on Hulu as a binge is a credit to the series, and not due to anything Disney did to push it.)
The slate kicks off on Hulu in September 2026, starting with City of Blood. The series is adapted from Reinhard Kleist and Tobias O. Meißner’s graphic novel Berlinoir, and is set in an alternative Berlin run by immortal vampires.
Here’s the series synopsis:
An unbearable heat hangs over a world ravaged by climate change, where crime dominates everyday life. Berlin has become a city-state on the brink of collapse. While a privileged few live comfortably beneath a fully air-conditioned dome, the rest of the city sinks into corruption and violence.
The two sisters, Bea and Phoebe, were separated as children by a tragic event: Bea, now chronically ill, grows up in privileged surroundings with her adoptive mother, while her older sister Phoebe struggles to survive on the streets of Berlin. When their worlds collide once again, just ahead of a pivotal election, they make an unthinkable discovery: vampires control organized crime and are seeking political power to secure their survival. Blood has long since become the city’s true currency. Caught in the crossfire, Phoebe and Bea must fight not only for their lives, but also confront a haunting question-who poses the greater threat: humans or vampires?
The series stars German up-and-comers Lea Drinda (Hamburg Days) as Bea Hoffmann and Soma Pysall (Tatort) as her sister, Phoebe Kaya. Fans of Walter Presents on PBS, MHz Choice, and Netflix’s German series will also recognize Lars Eidinger (Babylon Berlin), David Schütter (Our Miracle Years), Franz Hartwig (Das Boot), Jördis Triebel (Dark), Jenny Schily (Charite), Melika Foroutan (The Empress), Ulrich Brandhoff (SOKO Stuttgart), and Yasin El Harrouk (The Nordic Murders).
Philipp Kadelbach and Elena Lyubarskaya adapted the series for television, with Lyubarskaya serving as lead writer, Kadelbach directing all episodes, and Amelie von Kienlin producing. Kadelbach executive produces alongside Daniel Brühl, Malte Grunert, and Klaus Dohle.
All episodes of City of Blood will premiere on Disney+ (under the Hulu brand in the U.S.) on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Sign up for full access to Telly Visions' recaps and reviews!
