The world-famous Swedish detective drama Wallander is making a comeback.
Banijay Entertainment will work on a contemporary and reimagined reboot of Wallander, with Gustaf Skarsgård (Oppenheimer, Vikings) as the lead.
Co-produced by Jarowskij/Yellow Bird, TV4, and Banijay Rights, the reboot’s first season will consist of three 90-minute films, all in Swedish. Molly Hartleb (Riding In Darkness, Top Dog), will direct the movies, collaborating with Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, who both worked on the long-awaited-for Egghead Republic.
In the series, the 42-year-old Kurt Wallander, who has gone through a divorce after nearly 20 years of marriage, is consequently distanced from his daughter. Living on the edge, Wallander struggles with alcoholism and insomnia, while the unsolved cases weigh him down even more.
Elin Kvist, CEO Jarowskij/Yellow Bird stated that the Wallander of today “is not just a strong and intuitive detective, but also a complex, vulnerable character struggling as a father, partner and friend,” and added “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.”
Antonia Pyk, one of the writers of the original Swedish Wallander, Josefin Johansson (Top Dog), and Jörgen Bergmark (Beck), who have adapted the three most popular books from the series: One Step Behind, Sidetracked, and Faceless Killers, will co-write the series.
Glenn Lund for Jarowskij/Yellow Bird will produce the series in collaboration with TV4, Banijay Rights, Film i Skåne, and Ystad Österlen Filmfond.
A crime classic by best-selling author Henning Mankell, the Kurt Wallander books have sold over 40 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages. The novels inspired a series and film adaptations in their original language, Swedish, which aired between the years 1994 and 2013. These adaptations were met with global acclaim, especially in the UK, where they were named BBC Four’s top-performing imports consecutively in 2009 and 2010.
Related: Inside ‘Young Wallander’: Exclusive Interviews with the Cast & Crew
Accordingly, a British mini series inspired by the novels premiered on the BBC, and the lead, Kenneth Branagh, won a BAFTA for his performance as the famous detective.
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment, will handle international sales for the reboot.
Source: Variety
