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The CW will be giving its viewers yet another reason to be terrified of the ocean with their newly acquired disaster series, The Swarm. Despite the characters of the series speaking English as their primary language, The Swarm is actually a European production from the country of Germany. Not only that, it is also reportedly one of the most expensive German television productions ever conceived. Its hefty price tag of about 40 million Euros (which is over 43 million USD) is justified by the show's source material. Based on the critically acclaimed science fiction novel by author Frank Schätzing, The Swarm follows a group of scientists who are trying to uncover the reason behind the unusually aggressive behavior being exhibited by the ocean's animals. The series releasing in 2023 of all years is coincidental given how events like recent killer whale attacks and the Titan submersible implosion have generated a certain amount of fear towards the ocean and its billions of life forms. The Swarm already premiered in international waters earlier this year but will now be released in the United States thanks to a distribution deal with the CW. To learn more about the thrilling aquatic series, and its cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about The CW's The Swarm.
When Is 'The Swarm' Coming Out on The CW?
The bloodthirsty ocean creatures will be venturing into domestic waters when The Swarm begins airing on The CW starting Tuesday, September 12, 2023. After the premiere, one episode of the eight-episode-long series will premiere every following Tuesday until October 31.
Where Can You Watch The CW's 'The Swarm'?
It should hardly come as a surprise that The Swarm will be airing on The CW network when the show premieres on September 12 (premiere times may vary depending on your time zone). If you miss the network premiere of these episodes or simply do not have a live television/cable subscription, don't worry. New episodes of The Swarm will be available to stream online one day later on The CW's official website all for free with ads. Given that The CW is also under the ownership of Warner Brothers Discovery, there's also the possibility of a streaming release on Max at a later date.
Does 'The Swarm' Have a Trailer?
The main trailer for The CW's The Swarm introduces the unique and potentially world-ending bacterial infection that is turning the ocean's many creatures into human-hunting monsters. It all begins with a somewhat unusual orca attack, but they have been known to attack boats before, so it's not that unusual. However, before the denizens of Earth know it, they are knee-deep in armies of crabs, exploding lobsters, and humpback whales that are intentionally crashing into peaceful whale-watching boats. Even worse, the bacteria that is causing all this is contagious, and will ultimately kill humans who are infected. With literal killer whales on one side and a potential new pandemic on the other, who can possibly stop this apocalyptic scenario?
Who's In the Cast of 'The Swarm'?
Stopping a pathogen of this magnitude is no easy task, so it's a good thing The Swarm has quite an extensive cast. The main cast is led by Alexander Karim (Dying of the Light) as Dr. Sigure Johanson, Cécile de France (The Spanish Apartment) as Dr. Cécile Roche, Leonie Benesch (The White Ribbon) as Charlie Wagner, Joshua Odjick (Wildhood) as Leon Anawak, and Takehiro Hira (Gran Turismo) as Riku Sato. Also attached to the cast are Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (Willow) as Alicia Delaware, Barbara Sukowa (Hannah Arendt) as Professor Katherina Lehmann, Oliver Masucci (Fantastic Beast: The Secrets of Dumbledore) as Captain Jasper Alban, Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (Look Who's Back) as Roscovitz, Lydia Wilson (Star Trek Beyond) as Sara Thompson, Takuya Kimura (2046) as Mifune, Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Dune) as Samantha Crowe, and Alba Gaïa Bellugi (The Intouchables) as Isabelle Roche.
What's the Plot of 'The Swarm' About?
The CW's official plot synopsis for The Swarm reads as follows:
"Across the globe, strange happenings, borne out of the oceans, are mystifying and imperiling the world’s population. A group of scientists undertakes a terrifying mission to the depths of the Arctic Ocean to confront a deadly intelligent life force bent on human extinction."
Who Are the Creators of 'The Swarm'?
Showrunning The Swarm is producer Frank Doelger, who is best known for his work on the hugely influential Game of Thrones. The show also features a trio of talented directors who worked on the project, including Barbara Eder (Barbarians), Philipp Stölzl (North Face), and Luke Watson (Britannia). Adapting the original novel by Frank Schätzing are screenwriters Steven Lally (Strike Back), Marissa Lestrade (The Girl Before), Chris Lunt (Young Wallander), and Michael A. Walker (Devils). Also attached to the crew are composer Dascha Dauenhauer (Blood Red Sky), cinematographers Dominik Berg (Schlag auf Shlag) and David Luther (Das Boot), editors Phillip Ostermann (Im Kreis der Anderen), Sandy Saffeels (Biohackers), and Robert Stuprich (Souls), production designer Julian R. Wagner (The Colony), and costume designer Carlo Poggioli (The New Pope).
More Shows Like The CW's 'The Swarm' That You Can Watch Right Now
Zoo (2015-2017): Looking for more animals fighting back? CBS' Zoo is a good alternative, featuring more land and air animals with an unusual taste for human blood. After a string of bizarre and unexplainable animal attacks, a group of humans attempt to uncover why this is happening worldwide before they become a new endangered species. All three seasons of Zoo are available to buy on Amazon.
Buy on AmazonTerra Nova (2011): Though it may have only lasted one season, making for another show canceled by Fox before its time, Terra Nova has developed something of a cult following over the years. In what could essentially be called Jurassic Park meets Avatar (it even has Stephen Lang in it!), Terra Nova begins on a futuristic dying Earth. A lucky few are sent back in time to the age of the dinosaurs to rebuild and start humanity from scratch. The complete season of Terra Nova is available to buy on Amazon.
Buy on AmazonThe Strain (2014-2017): Co-created by master monster filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, The Strain is a fascinating take on vampirism. Humanity descends into chaos when a seemingly minor virus evolves into a full-blown pandemic. Even worse, the victims of this pandemic turn into bloodthirsty vampiric zombies. All four seasons of The Strain are available to stream on Hulu.
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