When is Money Heist spin-off Berlin set?

Berlin marks Netflix's return to Money Heist, the hugely popular Spanish crime drama about a group of loveable rogues taking part in two high-stakes heists in Madrid.

The Netflix series become a cultural phenomenon when it was released, so it's no wonder that the streamer was keen to go back, this time with a prequel set around a fan favourite character: Berlin (Pedro Alonso).

Read more: Everything we know about Berlin

Berlin, whose real name is Andrés de Fonollosa, was a key part of the Money Heist franchise, appearing in the show long after the character's onscreen death in season two thanks to his popularity. While his time on the flagship series was limited to flashback sequences after the second season, his enduring legacy has seen him get his own spin-off where he is the star of the show.

But how does the spin-off relate to the original Netflix series? And what can fans expect of the show in terms of cameos from their favourite characters? Here is what we know.

When is Berlin set in the Money Heist universe?

The new Netflix show centres on Berlin as he conducts a heist several years before the events of the original series, long before the character knows of the terminal illness he has, and long before he faces a firing squad at the Royal Mint of Spain to give his fellow thieves enough time to escape.

Berlin is at his prime and he plans to steal €44m (£38.2m) in jewels in Paris. He does this with the help of fellow thieves Kelia (Michelle Jenner), Damián (Tristán Ulloa), Cameron (Begoña Vargas), Bruce (Joel Sánchez) and Roi (Julio Peña Fernández).

In a behind the scenes featurette about the new series, director of production Cristina Lopez Ferraz said that the writing team had "signficantly outdone Money Heist" in both scale and scope with the prequel. The series, which will have eight episodes in total, is said to take place in the character's golden age, and is set years before Money Heist. It is said to happen in an undefined past, meaning that a year has not yet been revealed officially — however fans can narrow it down because of several factors in the story.

Berlin sees its titular character meet Camile (Samantha Siqueiros) during the events of the heist, it is known that the character was previously married five times with only his wife Tatiana (Diana Gomez) named, who he split with after she had an affair with his son Rafael (Patrick Criado). Neither character is expected to appear in Berlin, but it is possible that Camile will be revealed to be one of the thief's wives.

Another hint as to when the show is set is the appearance of several Money Heist characters, and the stage they are at in their lives.

Which Money Heist characters make a cameo in Berlin?

Money Heist fans may be hoping to see The Professor (Álvaro Morte) in the prequel given he is Berlin's half-brother who schemed many heists with him, but as of yet it appears the character will not appear in the show. That's not to say that his appearance isn't being kept a close-knit secret for now, or that he won't appear in future seasons if the show is renewed.

But actors that will reprise their roles in the series include Itziar Ituño as Raquel Murillo, and Najwa Nimri as Alicia Sierra. The two characters are working together as partners in the prequel, with both women climbing the ranks of the police in their own ways.

In Money Heist, Raquel begins her journey as a detective investigating the heist at the Royal Mint of Spain but as time went on, and she met The Professor, she decided to switch sides. Alicia, meanwhile, was brought into the story in season 3 when the gang began their second heist at the Bank of Spain. By then the cop is cold, calculating and unafraid to bring them to justice by any means necessary.

That the two characters are united suggests that the story in Berlin is taking place years if not decades before the events of Money Heist have begun.

Berlin is out now on Netflix.

Watch the trailer for Berlin: