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HBO Max Debuts First German Original ‘Banksters’ With Weekly Release

Early reviews highlight strong performances, with concerns about dialogue and character depth.

Overview

  • The six-part series premiered on Friday, February 20, with new 45-minute episodes set to arrive weekly on HBO Max in Germany.
  • Set in early-2000s Berlin and inspired by true events, the heist drama follows bank apprentice Yusuf, who is accused via an anonymous tip and arrested during a football match as questions about accomplices and missing cash linger.
  • Eren M. Güvercin leads the cast as Yusuf, joined by Merlin von Garnier, Michelangelo Fortuzzi and Maria Dragus.
  • Created by writer Bernd Lange from an idea by Kida Khodr Ramadan, the show is directed by Gregor Schnitzler and Cüneyt Kaya and produced by W&B Television, with executive producers Quirin Berg, Max Wiedemann, Marcus Welke and HBO’s Anke Greifeneder.
  • Critics note a slick, non-chronological structure and polished look, praising the acting while pointing to uneven pacing, flat dialogue and limited character complexity, alongside a pointed critique of predatory banking practices.