Zagreb as the Fifth Main Character: Behind the Scenes of RTL's New Series
The new crime series brings hundreds of guest roles, convincing action scenes, and authentic Zagreb locations, with its premiere scheduled for September 7, 2026.
The new crime series brings hundreds of guest roles, convincing action scenes, and authentic Zagreb locations, with its premiere scheduled for September 7, 2026.
RTL's new crime series 'Zagreb Specialists' hits the small screen on September 7, 2026, and it's already revealing impressive production scales. The series is shot entirely on location in Zagreb, and the capital city becomes more than just a backdrop, as executive producer Iva Grahor points out.
In the lead roles, viewers will meet seasoned Peđa Gvozdić as Zoran Jukić, a 56-year-old chief inspector of the old school. Alongside him, Vini Jurčić will portray Senior Inspector Ana Kirin, while Zadar native Toni Gojanović arrives as Senior Inspector and team analyst Luka Horvat. Audience favorite Ivan Barišić will appear as Senior Inspector Toni Kovačić, a temperamental and unpredictable Split native. Zoran's daughter, journalist Mia, will be played by Ivona Baković.
Each episode brings a separate criminal case and a new investigation, along with numerous guest characters. "We'll be counting guest roles in the hundreds by the end. By episode 14 alone, we have over 120 guest roles, which says enough about the project's scale," Grahor stated for RTL News.
More than 60 crew members work directly on the series every day, and when external collaborators are included, the number is significantly higher. Directors are Filip Heraković and Filip Mojzeš, scripts are written by Nikola Kuprešanin and Pavo Marinković, and the director of photography is Joško Morović. The production team consists of eight people, along with four camera operators, seven camera assistants, five in lighting, three location managers, five in costume design, and six in makeup and hair.
Zagreb was filmed at over 50 locations, from the historic Lower and Upper Town to the brutalist blocks of Novi Zagreb, working-class Trešnjevka, and the layered Dubrava. "In each episode, we use approximately eight to ten different locations. Zagreb is our fifth main character," Grahor emphasized.
To make the actors as convincing as possible, the production intensively collaborated with ATJ Lučko, the Special Police, and the Ministry of the Interior. The actors underwent special preparations and familiarized themselves with techniques used by professionals. "It wasn't enough for them to just put on a costume and wear a badge; it was important for us that they understand the way of movement, reactions, and behavior of people who find themselves in such situations every day," Grahor explained.
The series will also feature demanding action sequences, including shootouts, collisions, and chases. "Our goal isn't action for action's sake, but for it to be convincing, realistic, and dramatically justified," the producer added.
