Sweden’s TV4 and Jarowskij/Yellow Bird behind ‘reimagined’ three-part series
Banijay Entertainment is to revive long-running detective drama Wallander in Sweden.
Local broadcaster TV4 is partnering with the super-indie on the series which is “reimagined for a new era” by Banijay’s Jarowskij/Yellow Bird and distributor Banijay Rights.
The first run of the rebooted Swedish-language adaptation will comprise of three 90-minute episodes.
Gustaf Skarsgård (Oppenheimer, Vikings) takes up the lead, with Molly Hartleb (Riding In Darkness) directing alongside Egghead Republic duo, Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja.
The series is based on the late bestselling author Henning Mankell’s novels One Step Behind, Sidetracked and Faceless Killers.
It is the latest detective to be revived by Banijay following a long hiatus, joining English-language revamps of Bergerac for UKTV and Maigret for PBS Masterpiece.
Scripts are written by Antonia Pyk – who previously wrote on Wallander in 2010, Josefin Johansson and Jörgen Bergmark, respectively, and Glenn Lund produces for Jarowskij/Yellow Bird in partnership with TV4, Banijay Rights, Film i Skåne and Ystad Österlen Filmfond.
The story picks up with Kurt Wallander at the age of 42, with his life unravelling following a divorce and estrangement from his daughter.
Drinking too much and sleeping too little, the show will delve “deeper than ever before, taking the audience under the skin of this intriguing character, with a raw portrayal of a modern man navigating personal collapse, while attempting to uphold his detective work.”
Elin Kvist, chief exec at Jarowskij/Yellow Bird, said: “Wallander set in today is not just a strong and intuitive detective, but also a complex, vulnerable character struggling as a father, partner and friend.
“Gustaf Skarsgård gives us a relatable character packed with nerve, intuition and emotion. But most of all we want these new films to be suspense thrillers filled with unpredictability, struggle and the sense of constantly being in a pressure-cooker.”
Simon Cox, exec vice-president of content and acquisitions at Banijay Rights, added: “Wallander is one of the most iconic global crime brands in television, and this landmark reimagining delivers everything contemporary audiences are looking for - fast-paced crimes and high emotional stakes.
“With Gustaf Skarsgård in the legendary role, and its revived contemporary lens, this latest version is an exciting proposition for those seeking a new premium crime series for international audiences.”
Mankell’s Wallander novels have sold more than 40 million copies and been translated into 40 languages, while the original series and associated film adaptations aired between 1994 and 2013.
They sold around the world, making particular impact in the UK where the show became BBC Four’s top-performing import in 2009 and 2010.
A UK miniseries adaptation from Left Bank Pictures and Yellow Bird starring Kenneth Branagh also aired on the BBC, ending in 2016, while Netflix ordered two seasons of spin-off, Young Wallander.
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