Beta Film has lined up a wide international run for “Rex – Vienna Calling,” the latest chapter of the three-decade-old “Rex – A Cop’s Best Friend” franchise, as production begins on a second season. The series has found homes in Australia, Italy and Denmark, with further sales under discussion.
The deal covers SBS in Australia, Rai in Italy and TV 2 in Denmark. European buyers include Alpha TV in Greece, HRT in Croatia, Planet TV in Slovenia, STVR in Slovakia, Nova in Bulgaria and TVR in Romania. Baltic deals cover Duo Media Networks in Estonia, SIA Tet in Latvia and LNK in Lithuania. Action Channel in Japan and SHANT TV in Armenia round out the list.
The Long Road of Rex
The franchise has been running for 30 years, spawning multiple local versions along the way. Canada’s “Hudson & Rex,” another long-running Beta title, was recently renewed for a tenth season. That kind of endurance shows how far the brand has reached.
PlumResearch, the audience analytics firm, points to a shift in mature streaming markets toward “habits” rather than hits. Viewers now spread their time across the long tail instead of focusing only on new releases. “Rex” serves as a case in point, staying alive through three decades of change.
The new series follows detective Max Steiner, played by Maximilian Brückner, who teams with German Shepherd Rex to solve cases across Vienna. Six new feature-length episodes are shooting at some of the Austrian capital’s most recognizable spots.
Numbers From the First Season
The first season opened to nearly 1.6 million viewers on Germany’s SAT.1, posting a 7% overall share and 9.9% among 14-49s. In Austria, the six feature-length episodes averaged 701,000 viewers and a 27% share on ORF.
The Italian premiere on Rai 2 drew more than 750,000 viewers and a 5.6% share. On-demand and catch-up viewing pushed that total above one million once both were counted together.
“Rex – Vienna Calling” is produced by MR Film in co-production with SAT.1 and ORF. Beta Film handles distribution worldwide. The series is backed by FISAplus, the Austrian Television Fund and the state of Lower Austria.
What This Means
The deal shows a franchise that has stopped being a one-time hit and turned into something viewers return to regularly. PlumResearch’s point about habits fits what “Rex” has done over its lifetime.
The international sales footprint is broad, touching Australia, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Japan and Armenia. That is a lot of ground for a police-dog series to cover.
The numbers from the first season back up the sales. Nearly 1.6 million viewers on SAT.1, 701,000 on ORF, 750,000 on Rai 2 — those are solid ratings for a niche genre. The on-demand bump in Italy shows viewers are not waiting for linear broadcasts either.
The second season is already in production, and the sales are locked in. For Beta Film, this is a proven property with a proven audience, and the international partners have decided to stick with it.
Key Facts Box
– First season viewership: nearly 1.6 million on SAT.1 (Germany)
– SAT.1 share: 7% overall, 9.9% among 14-49s
– ORF average viewership: 701,000
– ORF share: 27%
– Rai 2 premiere viewership: 750,000, rising above one million with on-demand
– Season 2 status: production underway
– International buyers: SBS, Rai, TV 2, Alpha TV, HRT, Planet TV, STVR, Nova, TVR, Duo Media Networks, SIA Tet, LNK, Action Channel, SHANT TV
The franchise has been around for 30 years and counting. It has survived multiple waves of television change and kept finding new audiences. That is the kind of record few titles manage.
Source material: “Beta Film Takes ‘Rex – Vienna Calling’ Worldwide as Season 2 Goes Into Production (EXCLUSIVE),” Variety.
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