In the movie version of "Hanna," Marissa was more of a "cartoon portrayal of evil. The Wicked Witch, if you like," per writer-producer David Farr. For the series, he wanted to take an approach that would surprise the audience and deepen the character.
For writer-producer David Farr, part of the appeal of adapting "Hanna" for television was the opportunity to explore character development in more depth over more time.
Series composers Ben Barrow and Geoff Salisbury previously worked together on the music for Alex Garland's acclaimed science fictions films "Ex Machina" (2014) and "Annihilation" (2018). Barrow is a founding member of the band Portishead, while Salisbury also performs as one half of the duo Dolman.
German actor Benno Furmann, who plays Dieter, came to the U.S. in 1991 to study at the famed Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York.
In Romania under the leadership of Nicolae Ceausescu from 1965 to 1989, contraception and abortion were banned, leading to rising birthrates and the overcrowding of orphanages. Johanna visits the abortion clinic in 2002, but her choice would still have been unpopular at that time.