Emil und die Detektive (lit. Emil and the Detectives), the new big-screen adaptation of Erich Kästner’s seminal children’s novel, will be released in Germany on 24 September by Warner Bros. Pictures Germany. Directed by David Dietl, the film is positioned as a major family release for the early autumn cinema season.

The story follows Emil, who travels to Berlin to spend the summer holidays with his grandmother, only to be robbed on the train by smooth-talking thief, Max Grundeis. Refusing to accept defeat, Emil teams up with a group of sharp-witted, local kids and embarks on a fast-paced chase across the capital, turning the city into the playground for an improvised detective operation.

Emil is played by Nicholas Jonah Peter, in his first leading role in a feature film. He’s joined by Lara Toni Lüdders as Pony, Kilian Kasa as Gustav, Bela Louis Plass as Dienstag, Ai Vy Bui as Anh and Camille Moltzen as Jason, who make up the band of young detectives. This acting ensemble is complemented by an adult cast including Luise Heyer (Sound of Falling [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Natja Brunckhorst
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Conceived as a contemporary adaptation of Kästner’s 1929 novel, which is regarded as a cornerstone of German children’s and young adult literature, the film foregrounds themes of friendship and solidarity. This is the latest work by Dietl who has previously directed the Berlinale-premiered Berlin Bouncer [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] starring Laura Tonke and Ronald Zehrfeld, was the opening film at the 2024 Tallinn Black Nights Festival.

The screenplay was written by Antonia Scheurlen, with Philip Peschlow (One for the Road) serving as director of photography. The film completed principal photography in late October 2025, with shooting taking place in Berlin, Leipzig and Bernburg.

Emil und die Detektive is produced by Sebastian Werninger, Tobias Timme and Katharina Rietz for UFA Fiction, with Matthias Adler as executive producer and Tom Haase as producer. The film is co-produced with Steffen Schier, Julia Hayungs and Maggie Mackuth for Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany and UFA Mitte. Funding comes from the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (mbb), the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFFB), the Filmförderanstalt (FFA)/German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and the Bavarian State Chancellery.

The film is a further addition to UFA Fiction’s recent slate of Kästner adaptations for the big screen, following the success of The Flying Classroom by Carolina Hellsgård, which was released in cinemas three years ago.