"RTL finds 'Sun and Concrete' by Felix Lobrecht underwhelming"
In an unexpected turn of events, the TV adaptation of Felix Lobrecht's acclaimed film "Sonne und Beton," which premiered on RTL in 2023, failed to replicate the success of its cinema run.
The film, which had been praised by critics for its authentic storytelling and strong direction, leading to multiple nominations for the German Film Awards, attracted a viewership of 0.80 million during its TV premiere. This was significantly lower than the over a million viewers who flocked to cinemas within days of its initial release.
The younger target audience, in particular, showed a marked decrease in interest, with a viewership of 0.41 million, compared to the cinematic version's widespread appeal. This underperformance was particularly notable given the strong lead-in programs, "Die Versicherungsdetektive" and "RTL Aktuell," which collectively attracted 3.89 million viewers and a market share of 10.6%.
Other programs shown during the same time slot as "Sonne und Beton" generated more viewer interest, causing the film to struggle in competition. Despite this, the film remained one of the most successful German films of 2023 in cinemas, underscoring the enduring appeal of the story.
Felix Lobrecht, the 36-year-old comedian and author of the novel on which the film is based, may have seen his work translate well to the big screen, but the TV format seemed less impactful. The exact ratings or detailed analysis of the TV adaptation's performance are not readily available, but it is implied that the viewership was lower on TV compared to the cinema run.
This discrepancy in performance could be attributed to various factors such as reduced marketing visibility, competition in the TV timeslot, or failure to meet audience expectations established by the cinematic version. However, these reasons remain speculative as no explicit reasons are provided in the available data.
In summary, the TV adaptation of "Sonne und Beton" underperformed compared to its cinema run, primarily because it did not generate comparable viewer interest or ratings on television, despite the original film's popularity in cinemas.
Movies-and-tv entertainment like "Sonne und Beton" sometimes struggle to replicate cinema success on television, as demonstrated by its lower viewership of 0.80 million on RTL in 2023 compared to the over a million cinema-goers within days of its initial release.
The discrepancy between the film's cinema and TV performance highlights the potential challenges faced by movies-and-tv adaptations in the entertainment industry.
