The fifth day, the apocalypse according to the creator of Game of Thrones: "Nature is killing us in self-defense"

Fans of the best-selling novel

, by German

, had been waiting for years for the film adaptation of a story that, since its publication in 2004, has captivated millions of readers around the world.

The ecological

about a marine intelligence that suddenly threatens humanity was crying out to be made into a movie, but it hasn't been easy.

Hollywood tried:

, and then

bought the rights.

In 2018, the German television channel ZDF took over the project and has completed it in the form of a miniseries with the seal of

, the American producer who touched the sky with

.

"I am very satisfied with the result, although I know that nothing I have done or will do in the future will be like

. That is something that only comes to you once in a lifetime," admits Doegler, in conversation with EL MUNDO during the presentation of the series at the Berlinale.

opens this Monday in Spain

, does not detract from its suspense, and the plot is as universal as the struggle for power, depravity, justice and revenge.

"I was looking for international projects, not because of the cast or the locations but because of the substance. I wanted topics that would interest everyone, and climate change is a problem that affects us all. That really appealed to me, in addition to the challenge that meant dealing with climate change and natural disasters in a language that was not that of the documentary", says Doelger, who has had a budget of 44 million euros for the project.

For Hollywood or the big platforms like

or

it could be a standard cost, but

has turned out to be the most expensive German television series of all time, which is why ZDF resorted to co-production with other televisions.

Alexander Karim and Oliver Masucci, in The fifth day.MOVISTAR PLUS+

The first installment of the miniseries is made up of eight 45-minute episodes.

The plot does not start with the force of

, although Doegler remembers that the first episodes of that series that became cult fiction did not have it either.

The characters, if they didn't die, grew later.

"It's what the critics said, and looking back, I believe it too," he says.

In

there is only one great character: nature, although seen through a group of scientists who fight desperately and against the clock to avoid the catastrophe.

"When I started the project I asked myself how to awaken sympathy with a type of intelligence that kills people, and then I realized the difference between going to the bank and experiencing a robbery to being at home and that, at midnight, between someone with a gun and you are the one who kills to save your family," explains Doegler, "that would be killing in self-defense, which is what happens in the series. Humans are endangering nature, we are creating a monster that wakes up to defend himself because he doesn't want to die.

The producer, who was also fully involved in the adaptation of Schätzing's book, says that the destruction of nature goes beyond what is imaginable: "I hope the audience understands that if the oceans die, we die, that we only have one opportunity and if we don't take advantage of it, we will sink".

Cécile de France, one of the protagonists of The fifth day.MOVISTAR PLUS+

The special effects in

convey that abyss.

Movie magic works just as well on the small screen, although the author of the book, as usual, is not entirely satisfied with the result.

"It's more waste than delirium," Schätzing declared about a production in which he began collaborating but later abandoned due to content differences with Doelger.

Apparently, the producer took too many liberties.

The 1,000-page book is expanded here with plot lines and the characters are noticeably younger.

The one played by

, captain of a research ship, is also invented.

But that is part of the literary adaptations and Doegler was clear that his language should be television.

He imposed his criteria, at the cost of a certain plot imbalance and some tedium, it must be said.

The best moments are silent, when the relationship between man and vengeful nature translates into an impressive aesthetic, the figures merge with the horizon or with the gigantic waves of the ocean, the whales run amok, the jellyfish take over the canals. of Venice, a plague of crabs looms on the coasts or a poisoned lobster thrown into a pipe spreads death in humans.

Do you think we will be able to continue eating sushi?

Doelger responds with a smile.

And he is silent.

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