Emil and the Detectives (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Emil and the Detectives follows a boy whose summer trip to Berlin takes an unexpected turn when a con artist steals from him on the train. With a group of friends at his side, Emil begins a fast-moving pursuit through the city in this German family mystery adventure.

Emil and the Detectives is a 2026 German family adventure built around a robbery, a group of determined young investigators and a pursuit through Berlin. The film follows Emil after his journey to visit his grandmother is disrupted by a ruthless con artist.

Directed by David Dietl and written by Antonia Scheurlen, the movie adapts a familiar young-detective premise for a new screen version. Its 1-hour-and-41-minute runtime combines mystery elements with an urban adventure led by Emil and his friends.

Emil and the Detectives movie details

Story without spoilers

Emil travels to Berlin to spend his summer vacation with his grandmother. During the train ride, he is robbed by Max Grundeis, setting the central conflict in motion.

Rather than letting the theft end his trip, Emil joins forces with Pony, Gustav, Dienstag, Anh and Jason. Together, they pursue Max through Berlin, turning the search into a fast-paced detective hunt. The supplied story centers on their investigation and teamwork without revealing how the pursuit concludes.

What to expect

The film combines family entertainment with adventure and mystery. Viewers can expect a young protagonist, a group of friends working together and a citywide pursuit connected to a theft on a train. Its “based on novel or book” and “young detective” classifications place the story within a literary detective tradition, while the Berlin setting gives the investigation a distinct urban backdrop.

The premise points to a brisk, accessible story focused on Emil’s efforts to recover what was taken and identify or catch the person responsible. No further details about the film’s tone, visual approach or ending are supplied.

Cast and creative team

Nicholas Jonah Peter plays Emil, with Merlin Sandmeyer as Max Grundeis. The young detective group includes Lara Toni Lüdders as Pony, Kilian Kasa as Gustav, Bela Louis Plass as Dienstag, Ai Vy Bui as Anh and Camille Moltzen as Jason.

The cast also features Ursula Werner as Renate Tischbein, Luise Heyer as Anna Tischbein and Timo Weisschnur as Zuber. David Dietl directs the film, and Antonia Scheurlen is credited as its writer.

• Nicholas Jonah Peter as Emil
• Merlin Sandmeyer as Max Grundeis
• Lara Toni Lüdders as Pony
• Kilian Kasa as Gustav
• Bela Louis Plass as Dienstag
• Ai Vy Bui as Anh
• Camille Moltzen as Jason
• Ursula Werner as Renate Tischbein
• Luise Heyer as Anna Tischbein
• Timo Weisschnur as Zuber

Release and production context

Emil and the Detectives is a German production from UFA Fiction and Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany. It is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of September 24, 2026. The film runs for 1 hour and 41 minutes and is in German. Its genres are Family, Adventure and Mystery. The supplied status is “Released.”

Production companies: UFA Fiction, Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany

Movies Dock view

With its train robbery, young detective team and Berlin pursuit, Emil and the Detectives presents a straightforward mystery-adventure framework for family audiences. The film’s appeal is rooted in the combination of a determined central character, a cooperative group of friends and a clearly defined chase across the city.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb