A who’s who of German A-listers, including Downfall actress Alexandra Maria Lara, Ronald Zehrfeld (Barbara), Elyas M’Barek (The Wave) and Milan Peschl (Stopped on Track) have signed up to star in Rico, Oskar and the Pasta Detectives, an adaptation of the best-selling children’s book.
Neele Leana Vollmar (Maria, He Doesn’t Like It) will direct the movie for Fox International Productions, the studio’s German production unit.
VIDEO: Live From Cannes: Emma Watson on ‘The Bling Ring’
The book from Andreas Steinhofel tells the story of Rico, a young boy who befriends the socially awkward but highly intelligent Oskar. When one day Oskar disappears without a trace, Rico goes on a hunt throughout Berlin to save him from what appears to be a dangerous kidnapper.
VIDEO: Live from Cannes: Lars Ulrich on ‘Metallica: Through the Never’
Vollmar is set to begin shooting the film in late summer in Berlin and Leipzig.
Fox’s German shingle is also on board Playing Doctor, the new teen comedy from German director Marco Petry, which Petry co-wrote with Jan Ehlert and will shoot this summer in Munich.
Marco Mehlitz, head of production and development at FIP Germany, will oversee production on both films.
FIP is coming off a huge hit with its romantic comedy Breakup Man, directed by and starring German box office champ Matthias Schweighofer. Breakup Man has earned some $24 million in Germany, making it the top grossing local film of the year so far.
