If you were a fan of Money Heist, the smash hit Spanish crime drama series that became one of Netflix’s most popular originals, then you’re going to be interested in its new spin-off series, Berlin.
A prequel to the original show that ended in 2021, the new series sees seasoned thief Berlin (Pedro Alonso) take centre stage in a throwback to his heyday as one of the world’s most notorious criminals. If you’ve never seen Money Heist but love recent crime sagas like The Gold and Netflix’s own Lupin, then there’s plenty you’ll enjoy in Berlin.
Who is Berlin in Money Heist?
So, a flashback for those who watched the original (or want to get up to speed): Berlin, real name Andrés de Fonollosa, is introduced in part 1 of Money Heist. He’s a pretty cold character, a man driven by money and the thrill of stealing, deceiving and eluding his way to a successful heist. It’s also uncovered by police that he’s terminally ill, probably the reason for his often-depressed nature. Still, he has a reputation for sarcastic quips and charisma despite his psychopathic tendencies.
Eventually (spoilers for those who didn’t watch Money Heist) Berlin sacrifices himself to allow the rest of his crew to escape capture and is gunned down allowing him to avoid slowly dying from his illness.
What is Berlin about?
Now Berlin is back as we meet him at an earlier point in his life, with Alonso reprising his role from the main series to explore more of his background and origins. At the height of his golden age of thievery, Berlin has his heart set on the French capital and is planning to pull off one of the biggest heists in Parisian history.
The prequel is set before his diagnosis of terminal illness, with the motivation of €44 million and a love affair. This time around, he’s joined by Keila (Michelle Jenner), a smart cybersecurity expert, Roi (Julio Peña) a loyal locksmith, Damián (Tristán Ullola), an academic, Bruce (Joel Sánchez), a weapon expert, and the wild card Cameron (Begoña Vargas.) The target is Paris’ biggest auction house and the antiques inside, but as Berlin explains in the trailer, he wants it all, even if he could lose everything. Our master thief is revealed to be the half-brother of criminal mastermind The Professor (Álvaro Morte) in Money Heist– could he make an appearance as well?
Is there a release date?
You’ll be able to see just how Berlin and his crew fare when the prequel arrives on Netflix on 29th December. You can watch all 5 parts of Money Heist on Netflx now.
Watch the trailer