Germany's Constantin Film is to expand its successful relationship with Achterbahn Film (AF) to include a first-look deal on AF's first live-action production, Wie Die Karnickel, written by Der Bewegte Mann author Ralf Koenig.

The new deal goes beyond the current distribution agreement, which covers the theatrical release of the next two animation features in the Werner franchise.

Constantin and Achterbahn have had great success with the cinema releases of the previous three features based on Roetger "Broesel" Feldmann's comic book character Werner. The first film in the franchise, Werner - Beinhart, was produced and distributed by the then Neue Constantin Film and became the most successful German film of 1990 with 5.4m admissions, while the second , Werner - Das Muss Kesseln, was produced by Senator Filmproduktion, but distributed by Neue Constantin in 1996 with 5.6m admissions. The third Werner film to date, Werner - Volles Rooaa!!!, was produced by Achterbahn itself, with Constantin again distributing to reach 2.75 m cinemagoers in 1999.