ORF and Sat.1 Confirm Continuation of "Kommissar Rex" with Brückner

As early as spring 2026, the revival of the long-established crime series had celebrated a successful comeback. Six feature-length episodes aired between April 13 and May 18, 2026. The premiere episode on April 13 at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 1 reached an average of 883,000 viewers, according to the available data.

Ratings and Reach of the Comeback

Across all six crime films, an average of 725,000 viewers followed the episodes. Sat.1 was also pleased with audience figures above the channel's average. ORF spoke of a comeback that rightly had "eine riesengroße Fangemeinde vor den Bildschirmen verfolgt." The decline in ratings over the course of the season was relatively moderate.

Funding and Financing

The funding for the new episodes had already been secured before the final green-light decision. As KURIER reported in April, a funding amount of 4.4 million euros was reserved from the FISAplus funding track. "Kommissar Rex" is funded by FISAplus, Fernsehfonds Austria, and the state of Lower Austria, with additional sources citing FISA+, Fernsehfonds Austria, Filmfonds Wien, and the state of Lower Austria.

Voices from ORF

Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, ORF Program Director, commented after the broadcast of the comeback in May. She stated: "Wiener Charme, moderne Krimispannung, ein Top-Team vor und hinter der Kamera und ein vierbeiniger Hauptdarsteller: Der Erfolg der neuen Fälle hat bewiesen, dass 'Kommissar Rex' auch heute ein Publikumsmagnet ist. Umso mehr freue ich mich, dass wir die Zusammenarbeit mit SAT.1 fortsetzen und dieser TV-Hit als eines unserer Paradebeispiele für beste Unterhaltung für die ganze Familie in die nächste Runde geht."

Cast and Start of Filming

The central investigative team around Maximilian Brückner as Detective Max Steiner is expected to remain for the new episodes. The cast includes Ferdinand Seebacher as Inspector Felix Burger, Doris Golpashin as Major Evelyn Leitner, and Alfred Dorfer as pathologist Dr. Tom Wippler. The four-legged leading actor, German Shepherd Rex, is also continuing to be part of the show. "Und natürlich ist Reginald von Ravenhorst VIII. wieder dabei," the announcement states.

Filming is expected to take place in the coming autumn and spring in and around Vienna. As KURIER learned, ORF and Sat.1 are having further new feature-length episodes produced. Filming is reportedly scheduled to start in September, with the final determination between autumn 2026 and spring 2027. The search for suitable locations has already begun.

The broadcast of the new episodes is planned for spring 2027. "Im Frühjahr 2027 gibt's neue Folgen mit Schäferhund Rex und Maximilian Brückner als Kommissar Max Steiner," according to broadcaster sources. Sat.1 promotes the continuation with its familiar slogan: "Wien, Wuff, Wurstsemmeln!" The series is produced by MR-Film, with international distribution handled by Beta Film.

Further New Formats at ProSiebenSat.1

In addition to the "Kommissar Rex" continuation, ProSiebenSat.1 announced further new formats in Düsseldorf. "Die Millionenidee" (Sat.1) is a new format in which Ralf Dümmel guides inventors, helping them develop their rough ideas into market-ready products and bringing them to retail. Unlike, for example, "Das Duell um die Welt" (2012 to 2025), it is a different concept.

On the streaming service Joyn, ProSiebenSat.1's streaming platform, the new reality format "Dschungel Divas – Luxus hat seinen Preis" launches. Ten luxury-loving reality divas swap their usual glamour for tropical jungle in Colombia. They compete for a prize that shrinks with every temptation they succumb to.

Also new is "Joko & Klaas machen Urlaub" on Joyn. Joko Winterscheidt (47) and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (42), for years two of the best-known faces of the channel ProSieben, are granted "mehr Urlaub" according to the broadcaster – with one condition: they complete a road trip together and let themselves be filmed along the way, without challenges, without games, without winners or losers.

Joko and Klaas in Iceland

Six episodes are produced by Florida Entertainment GmbH. "Joko & Klaas machen Urlaub" in Iceland. Six episodes are produced by Florida Entertainment GmbH. The employer had demanded a new show, ProSieben said, so that the entertainers would get "mehr Urlaub." The format thus amounts to a kind of paid sabbatical – only with a camera.

Streaming on Joyn

For die-hard fans, Joyn also offers a comprehensive overview of the series' history: All previous seasons of "Kommissar Rex," including the older ones with Tobias Moretti as Detective Richard Moser, are available on ProSiebenSat.1's streaming service. This makes it possible to trace the entire development of the Vienna crime series from its beginnings to the current comeback.

The response to the comeback was overall positive. "Rex" bellt weiter in Wien – this phrasing from the reporting underscores the continued success of the brand. The combination of familiar Viennese atmosphere, a renewed ensemble, and the audience favorite German Shepherd Rex has evidently worked and justifies the continuation.

With the now-approved further episodes, ProSiebenSat.1 is systematically expanding its portfolio of revived TV classics. The strategy of rebooting proven formats appears to be paying off: "Kommissar Rex" has proven that a four-legged leading actor and Viennese charm can still draw a million-strong audience to their screens in 2026.

Many premiere dates for the announced formats remain unclear, however. Concrete broadcast dates beyond the targeted spring 2027 for the new "Kommissar Rex" episodes have not yet been set. For "Die Millionenidee," "Dschungel Divas," and "Joko & Klaas machen Urlaub" as well, the exact air dates remain to be seen.

The continuation of "Kommissar Rex" fits into a broader wave of revival formats in German-language television. The combination of nostalgic brand recognition, modernized storytelling, and the proven Viennese setting evidently forms a recipe for success that resonates with both domestic ORF and German Sat.1 – and is set to be carried forward with the new episodes in 2027.