Scripted

The series is distributed by Beta Film that has closed deals with two leading European broadcasters, France's TF1 and Austria's ORF, on RTL Group's.

The six-hour series was filmed in the  Baltics, in Austria, Hungary and Germany. 

Empress Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi, whose fictional character was portrayed by Austrian actress Romy Schneider in the 1950s, was a pop star and influencer of her time at the end of the 19th century, and an icon in Europe and beyond.

The series circles around the tomboy and Bavarian princess, who, after her marriage with Franz Joseph I., Emperor of Austria, has to realize that life at the Habsburg court in Vienna is not at all what she expected. The monarch must fight against the strict and even cruel regime at court and for her ideals.

The role of Sisi is interpreted by up-and-coming Swiss-American actress Dominique Devenport (Night Train to Lisbon), while Emperor Franz is portrayed by Germany's Jannik Schümann (Center of My World, Charité). Also starring are Grimme-awarded Désirée Nosbusch (Bad Banks) in the role of Archduchess Sophie, the mother-in-law of the young Empress, and Julia Stemberger (M - A city haunts a Murderer) as her mother Ludovica and Tanja Schleiff (Downfall) as famous Countess Esterhazy, amongst others.

Beta handles world sales. The TVNOW-series is produced by Story House Pictures (Jens Freels and Andreas Gutzeit, who also serves as showrunner) in collaboration with Satel Film (Heinrich Ambrosch, Bettina Kuhn) and Beta Film. Scripts are written by Elena Hell and Robert Krause. Head writers are Andreas Gutzeit and Robert Krause.

Sven Bohse (Dark Woods) directs the series; Hauke Bartel leads the RTL Mediagroup's team with Sylke Poensgen (EP) and Markus Böhlke (commissioning editor). The show is supported by the FFA German Federal Film Board and the FFF Bavarian Film and Television Fund.