A first look teaser from the Sky Original series "Unwanted' was released today. The series will be shown exclusively on Sky and the streaming service WOW in Germany and in all other Sky markets in 2023. The series is inspired by the book "Bilal" by investigative journalist Fabrizio Gatti about his experiences during his journey along the Saharan routes populated not only by migrants fleeing from Africa to Europe, but also by those trying to to turn their misery into a business.

The eight-part series is produced by Sky Studios, Pantaleon Films and Indiana Productions. Unwanted was written and created by Stefano Bises.

Oliver Hirschbiegel, known worldwide for "Der Untergang", "Diana" with Naomi Watts in the leading role, as well as the film "Five Minutes of Heaven", which received several awards at the Sundance Festival, took over the direction.

The multicultural cast includes Marco Bocci, Jessica Schwarz, Dada Fungula Bozela, Hassan Najib, Jonathan Berlin, Jason Derek Prempeh, Cecilia Dazzi, Francesco Acquaroli, Barbara Auer, Sylvester Groth, Marco Palvetti, Denise Capezza, Nuala Peberdy, Samuel Kalambay, Amadou Mbow , Edward Apeagyei, Reshny N'Kouka, Onyinye Odokoro, Massimo De Lorenzo, and Scot Williams.

"Unwanted" is about what happens on a cruise ship with western tourists on board after shipwrecked refugees have been rescued from the sea. The stories of the refugees intertwine with those of the crew and passengers. Things take a dramatic turn when some of the refugees, in desperation, decide to hijack the ship upon learning they are to be taken back to Libya.

Unwanted was created and written by Stefano Bises, with contributions from Alessandro Valenti, Bernardo Pellegrini and Michela Straniero. The series for Pantaleon was produced by Dan Maag, Marcoi Beckmann, Patrick Zorer, Stephanie Schettler-Kohler and producer Sascha Rosemann, who originally licensed the book from Fabrizio Gatti. Fabrizio Donvito, Benedetto Habib, Daniel Campos Pavoncelli and Marco Cohen are producing for Indiana. Sky Studios Executive Producers are Sonia Rovai and Nils Hartmann.

NBCUniversal Global Distribution is responsible for world distribution on behalf of Sky Studios.

About Unwanted:

The cruise ship Orizzonte offers its 5.000 passengers fifteen restaurants, a theatre, nightclubs, shops, swimming pools and a spacious wellness area. A city on the water, traveling the Mediterranean to entertain its European guests and make them forget everyday life. Already on the first night at sea, the vacationers* on their supposedly carefree journey are caught up in reality when the ship rescues 28 African migrants* from the Mediterranean Sea. You are the survivors of a shipwreck that killed more than 100 people. On their way to Italy and fleeing hunger, war, slavery and persecution, the Orizzonte is both salvation and the first step into a world the migrants dreamed of. When the 28 survivors learn that the Orizzonte is heading back to Libya - the place they fled - the cruise ship becomes a magnifying glass for the global refugee crisis, human trafficking and the Western world's attempts to keep "illegal" immigrants out . On board the Orizzonte, humanity and cruelty, tolerance and racism, hope and sadness, life and finally death inevitably collide.