Exclusive: The Valhalla Murders duo Thordur Palsson and Óttar Nordfjord are creating an Icelandic-Finnish climate disaster miniseries titled Avalanche.
Forged for Iceland’s Síminn and rolling cameras next week, Avalanche stars Elín Hall (Let Me Fall) as Freyja, a meteorologist who returns to her hometown to warn the villagers of an imminent catastrophe. Casting striking similarities between fictional tragic events and today’s climate crisis, the series is aiming to highlight the urgency of heeding scientific warnings.
The series is another example of Scandi outfits coming together to create TV, with Iceland’s Glassriver co-producing with Finland’s Whatevergroup, while Ginny & Georgia outfit Dynamic Television is selling worldwide. Palsson is directing and Nordfjord is writing. The pair were behind The Valhalla Murders, the RÚV police procedural that was picked up by Netflix several years back. Margrét Örnólfsdóttir is co-writer of Avalanche.
Palsson said: “Bringing Avalanche to life is both a creative challenge and a responsibility.
Forged for Iceland’s Síminn and rolling cameras next week, Avalanche stars Elín Hall (Let Me Fall) as Freyja, a meteorologist who returns to her hometown to warn the villagers of an imminent catastrophe. Casting striking similarities between fictional tragic events and today’s climate crisis, the series is aiming to highlight the urgency of heeding scientific warnings.
The series is another example of Scandi outfits coming together to create TV, with Iceland’s Glassriver co-producing with Finland’s Whatevergroup, while Ginny & Georgia outfit Dynamic Television is selling worldwide. Palsson is directing and Nordfjord is writing. The pair were behind The Valhalla Murders, the RÚV police procedural that was picked up by Netflix several years back. Margrét Örnólfsdóttir is co-writer of Avalanche.
Palsson said: “Bringing Avalanche to life is both a creative challenge and a responsibility.
- 3/14/2025
- by Max Goldbart and Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
“Vigdís,” the four-part biopic about Iceland’s iconic former president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, widely known as the world’s first democratically elected female head of state, will bow Feb. 17 at the Berlinale Series Market Selects, courtesy of REinvent International.
The show – which chronicles Finnbogadóttir’s journey from 1948, when she finished secondary school, up until her presidential election in 1980 – lands in Berlin off the back of a strong national run on pubcaster RÚV, where it premiered on Jan. 1.
“It’s one of the most successful TV series broadcasted in Iceland, with around 60% accumulated viewings per episode,” boasts producer Rakel Garðarsdóttir, co-creator with co-writers Ágústa M Ólafsdóttir and Björg Magnúsdóttir (“The Minister”). In the small nation of 390,000 inhabitants, ruled by two women- President Halla Tómasdóttir and Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, the series about Finnbogadóttir, who championed equality and women’s rights during her presidency (1980 to 1996), has sparked a national craze for everything related to Vigdís.
The show – which chronicles Finnbogadóttir’s journey from 1948, when she finished secondary school, up until her presidential election in 1980 – lands in Berlin off the back of a strong national run on pubcaster RÚV, where it premiered on Jan. 1.
“It’s one of the most successful TV series broadcasted in Iceland, with around 60% accumulated viewings per episode,” boasts producer Rakel Garðarsdóttir, co-creator with co-writers Ágústa M Ólafsdóttir and Björg Magnúsdóttir (“The Minister”). In the small nation of 390,000 inhabitants, ruled by two women- President Halla Tómasdóttir and Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, the series about Finnbogadóttir, who championed equality and women’s rights during her presidency (1980 to 1996), has sparked a national craze for everything related to Vigdís.
- 2/12/2025
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Nordic noirs have started gaining prominence in recent years, with titles like The Valhalla Murders and Detective Forst ranking high amidst original series with high viewership counts. Netflix’s Swedish thriller, The Are Murders, is the latest addition to the list, an adaptation of Viveca Sten’s two novels from the Sandhamn murder series, “Hidden in Snows” and “Hidden in Shadows.” The series focuses on two separate cases—while the first three episodes chronicle the murder investigation of teenager Amanda, the following two episodes revolve around the death of former skier Johan Andersson. Both the cases, set in Are—a small picturesque Swedish locality—are handled by the detective duo Daniel and Hanna, who must uncover the troubling secrets concealed underneath the seemingly peaceful, family-oriented community.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Was Lasse Suspected In Amanda’s Murder?
Seventeen-year-old teenager Amanda goes missing while returning from the party hosted at her best friend Ebba’s place.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Was Lasse Suspected In Amanda’s Murder?
Seventeen-year-old teenager Amanda goes missing while returning from the party hosted at her best friend Ebba’s place.
- 2/9/2025
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
As awards season heats up, From Ground Zero, Palestine’s Oscar entry that’s on the shortlist for Best International Feature, debuts this weekend at about 70 AMC locations in top 20 markets and select arthouses including the Quad in New York and Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles.
The documentary from Watermelon Pictures is a series of 22 video diaries by Palestinian filmmakers commissioned and assembled by Gaza native Rashid Masharawi that show what it’s like on the ground in Gaza trying to survive and keep families safe, fed and sheltered amid Israeli bombardments. Mostly shying away from politics, From Ground Zero is a view of life in hellish conditions that also finds hope in small moments of normalcy. Masharawi, who currently lives in France, set up a fund early in the Israel-Hamas war to support filmmaking in Gaza.
Watermelon and parent MPI Media took a risk opening soon after Oscar shortlists were unveiled,...
The documentary from Watermelon Pictures is a series of 22 video diaries by Palestinian filmmakers commissioned and assembled by Gaza native Rashid Masharawi that show what it’s like on the ground in Gaza trying to survive and keep families safe, fed and sheltered amid Israeli bombardments. Mostly shying away from politics, From Ground Zero is a view of life in hellish conditions that also finds hope in small moments of normalcy. Masharawi, who currently lives in France, set up a fund early in the Israel-Hamas war to support filmmaking in Gaza.
Watermelon and parent MPI Media took a risk opening soon after Oscar shortlists were unveiled,...
- 1/3/2025
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
This article contains mentions of rape.
True crime has been one of the hottest genres in recent years, with many TV series looking to ride the wave of popularity. These series all produce incredibly gripping narratives with unique attention to detail and realism that is not often present in other fictional or non-fictional shows. With big-budget players like Netflix and Apple TV+ all putting their creative machines behind true crime shows, the genre is consistently pushing the boat out and breaking new ground.
The landscape continues to change and grow, with series like Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Narcos capturing the audience's attention like never before. With creators, actors, and production companies all understanding the complex morality of portraying and highlighting these true stories, true crime dramas are among the most popular shows on streaming. That said, there are scripted shows that aren't exactly true crime dramas...
True crime has been one of the hottest genres in recent years, with many TV series looking to ride the wave of popularity. These series all produce incredibly gripping narratives with unique attention to detail and realism that is not often present in other fictional or non-fictional shows. With big-budget players like Netflix and Apple TV+ all putting their creative machines behind true crime shows, the genre is consistently pushing the boat out and breaking new ground.
The landscape continues to change and grow, with series like Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Narcos capturing the audience's attention like never before. With creators, actors, and production companies all understanding the complex morality of portraying and highlighting these true stories, true crime dramas are among the most popular shows on streaming. That said, there are scripted shows that aren't exactly true crime dramas...
- 11/29/2024
- by Mark W
- ScreenRant
Exclusive: Cold Haven, the Icelandic-Portuguese crime thriller drama, has wrapped shooting and we have first-look images of the series here.
The eight-part show from Iceland’s Glassriver and Portugal’s Spi probes the immigration experience, following Icelandic detective Soffia as she attempts to solve a murder within the Portuguese community on Iceland’s Westman Islands.
Cold Haven (aka Refúgio do Medo), which is for Icelandic streamer Síminn and Rtp in Portugal, is predominantly set on the Icelandic archipelago Vestmannaeyjar, the country’s capital Reykjavík and the Portuguese city of Lisbon.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir (Let Me Fall, The Valhalla Murders), Anna Svava Knútsdóttir, Elva Ósk Ólafsdóttir and Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson are among the Icelandic cast, with Maria João Bastos, Catarina Rebelo, Ivo Canelas (Glória), Rui Morisson and Cleia Almeida (Nazaré) from the Portuguese side.
Filipa Poppe, Joana Andrade, and Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson wrote the show, with Arnór Pálmi Arnarsson and Tiago Alvarez Marques directing. About Premium Content is on international distribution ahead of a 2025 launch on Síminn and Rtp.
“As we ramp up our slate of international co-productions, we could not ask for better partners on Cold Haven than Spi and About Premium Content,” said Andri Ómarsson, executive producer and CEO of Glassriver. “It is a series that merges the stunning landscapes of Vestmannaeyjar with the vibrant culture of Lisbon. This crime thriller is a testament to the power of international collaboration.”
Ómarsson added Síminn and Rtp “as broadcasters have been fundamental for the project and we appreciate their involvement.”
Glassriver’s slate includes eight-episode drama As Long As We Live, medical drama Fractures and Black Sands, which was selected for a world premiere at Berlinale and has been commissioned for further seasons.
Birkir Agustsson, VP of Media at Síminn, said the series “perfectly aligns with our commitment to bringing high-quality, compelling stories to our viewers,” adding: “Partnering with Glassriver and Spi on this international co-production allows us to deliver a visually striking and emotionally engaging crime thriller that will resonate with audiences both in Iceland and abroad.”
“We believe that what drew us to this story is also what sparked the interest of Rtp in Portugal and Síminn in Iceland, as well as the French-origin international distributor About Premium Content,” said Pedro Lopes, executive producer and Content Director at Spi. “The work process has been challenging, but it is a great pleasure to have as partners an experienced and creative production company like Glassriver, with whom we have built a relationship of trust, mutual respect, and deep friendship.”
Spi is known as Netflix’s first original production in Portugal, Glória. Also on its slate is Motel Valkirias, for Rtp, TV Galicia and HBO in Portugal and Spain and the series Vanda, which is distributed by Legendary.
Rtp’s José Fragoso added the co-production was “unprecedented and unique” co-production.
“In recent years, Rtp has been involved in the production of international fiction projects, in collaboration with partners in Spain, Brazil, or France, but the series Cold Haven opens a new path of collaboration, this time with a geographically distant region from our country, but one that is highly relevant in the production of quality fiction.
“The Nordic countries are a global reference in the audiovisual sector, and this co-production with Rtp will be a unique opportunity for Portuguese teams – writers, actors, directors, and producers – to share knowledge and experiences with Icelandic professionals. The result will undoubtedly be an exciting thriller, filmed in two countries with radically different, yet equally inspiring, atmospheres.”...
The eight-part show from Iceland’s Glassriver and Portugal’s Spi probes the immigration experience, following Icelandic detective Soffia as she attempts to solve a murder within the Portuguese community on Iceland’s Westman Islands.
Cold Haven (aka Refúgio do Medo), which is for Icelandic streamer Síminn and Rtp in Portugal, is predominantly set on the Icelandic archipelago Vestmannaeyjar, the country’s capital Reykjavík and the Portuguese city of Lisbon.
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir (Let Me Fall, The Valhalla Murders), Anna Svava Knútsdóttir, Elva Ósk Ólafsdóttir and Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson are among the Icelandic cast, with Maria João Bastos, Catarina Rebelo, Ivo Canelas (Glória), Rui Morisson and Cleia Almeida (Nazaré) from the Portuguese side.
Filipa Poppe, Joana Andrade, and Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson wrote the show, with Arnór Pálmi Arnarsson and Tiago Alvarez Marques directing. About Premium Content is on international distribution ahead of a 2025 launch on Síminn and Rtp.
“As we ramp up our slate of international co-productions, we could not ask for better partners on Cold Haven than Spi and About Premium Content,” said Andri Ómarsson, executive producer and CEO of Glassriver. “It is a series that merges the stunning landscapes of Vestmannaeyjar with the vibrant culture of Lisbon. This crime thriller is a testament to the power of international collaboration.”
Ómarsson added Síminn and Rtp “as broadcasters have been fundamental for the project and we appreciate their involvement.”
Glassriver’s slate includes eight-episode drama As Long As We Live, medical drama Fractures and Black Sands, which was selected for a world premiere at Berlinale and has been commissioned for further seasons.
Birkir Agustsson, VP of Media at Síminn, said the series “perfectly aligns with our commitment to bringing high-quality, compelling stories to our viewers,” adding: “Partnering with Glassriver and Spi on this international co-production allows us to deliver a visually striking and emotionally engaging crime thriller that will resonate with audiences both in Iceland and abroad.”
“We believe that what drew us to this story is also what sparked the interest of Rtp in Portugal and Síminn in Iceland, as well as the French-origin international distributor About Premium Content,” said Pedro Lopes, executive producer and Content Director at Spi. “The work process has been challenging, but it is a great pleasure to have as partners an experienced and creative production company like Glassriver, with whom we have built a relationship of trust, mutual respect, and deep friendship.”
Spi is known as Netflix’s first original production in Portugal, Glória. Also on its slate is Motel Valkirias, for Rtp, TV Galicia and HBO in Portugal and Spain and the series Vanda, which is distributed by Legendary.
Rtp’s José Fragoso added the co-production was “unprecedented and unique” co-production.
“In recent years, Rtp has been involved in the production of international fiction projects, in collaboration with partners in Spain, Brazil, or France, but the series Cold Haven opens a new path of collaboration, this time with a geographically distant region from our country, but one that is highly relevant in the production of quality fiction.
“The Nordic countries are a global reference in the audiovisual sector, and this co-production with Rtp will be a unique opportunity for Portuguese teams – writers, actors, directors, and producers – to share knowledge and experiences with Icelandic professionals. The result will undoubtedly be an exciting thriller, filmed in two countries with radically different, yet equally inspiring, atmospheres.”...
- 11/26/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
With the winds of winter on the way, theres never been a better time for a chilly, dark, cold, and damp thriller to promise a scary good time for viewers. Today, Collider is thrilled to share the exclusive first look at Thordur Palssons (The Valhalla Murders) feature-length directorial debut, The Damned. Starring the likes of The Daughters Odessa Young and Peaky Blinderss Joe Cole, the movie will transport audiences back to the 19th-century when a woman is faced with an impossible decision to either save lives or spare those of the ones she loves. Set for a release through Vertical Entertainment, audiences can expect to see The Damned when it strikes land in cinemas on January 3, 2025.
- 10/30/2024
- by Britta DeVore
- Collider.com
Exclusive: The Gotham Group has signed Icelandic film director Thordur Palsson whose feature debut, the horror film The Damned, premiered at this year’s Tribeca Festival and will be released domestically by Vertical this fall.
Palsson was the creator and lead director of The Valhalla Murders, which premiered on Netflix in 2020 as the platform’s first Icelandic original.
“We have been admirers of Thordur’s work since the chilling series The Valhalla Murders and with his debut feature it’s become even clearer that he is one of the most exciting genre filmmakers working today,” said Justin Littman, Gotham Group Partner and Head of International.
The Damned follows Eva, a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when, in the middle of an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost. With provisions running low, Eva and her crew must choose...
Palsson was the creator and lead director of The Valhalla Murders, which premiered on Netflix in 2020 as the platform’s first Icelandic original.
“We have been admirers of Thordur’s work since the chilling series The Valhalla Murders and with his debut feature it’s become even clearer that he is one of the most exciting genre filmmakers working today,” said Justin Littman, Gotham Group Partner and Head of International.
The Damned follows Eva, a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when, in the middle of an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost. With provisions running low, Eva and her crew must choose...
- 7/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Nowhere is safe. This most basic of horror premises — and the sheer simplicity of its implications — has fueled countless classics and scares over the years. One of the biggest early surprises of this year's Tribeca Film Festival, "The Damned," takes this unsettling idea to even greater heights and establishes a can't-miss new talent cut from a similar cloth as Robert Eggers along the way. Icelandic writer/director Thordur Palsson (Netflix's "The Valhalla Murders" miniseries) makes his feature debut with a story set amid the late 1800s in a desolate fishing station, where a tiny Nordic community ekes out a living from a punishing environment that treats them as hostile invaders. The harsh (but gorgeously-shot) tundra and freezing waters trapping them on all sides lends a physical threat as imposing as the labyrinthine Nostromo in "Alien" or the research station in "The Thing." But in a supernatural wrinkle taken straight...
- 6/10/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Exclusive: In advance of its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, scheduled for June 6th, the supernatural horror film The Damned, marking the feature directorial debut of Thordur Palsson (The Valhalla Murders), has locked in North American distribution with Vertical. The film will be released later this year.
Written by Jamie Hannigan, The Damned follows Eva (Odessa Young), a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost during the middle of an especially cruel winter. With provisions running low, Eva and her close-knit community must choose between rescuing the shipwrecked crew and prioritizing their own survival. Facing the consequences of their decision and tormented by guilt, the inhabitants wrestle with a mounting sense of dread and begin to believe they are all being punished for their choices.
Pic’s cast also includes Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders...
Written by Jamie Hannigan, The Damned follows Eva (Odessa Young), a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost during the middle of an especially cruel winter. With provisions running low, Eva and her close-knit community must choose between rescuing the shipwrecked crew and prioritizing their own survival. Facing the consequences of their decision and tormented by guilt, the inhabitants wrestle with a mounting sense of dread and begin to believe they are all being punished for their choices.
Pic’s cast also includes Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders...
- 6/4/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“It’s all true. Well, true myth, anyway,” says Thordur Palsson about The Damned, his Nordic horror film set in a 19th century Icelandic village besieged by zombies.
Odessa Young (HBO’s The Staircase) stars as Eva, a widow running an isolated fishing post in Iceland’s West Fjords in the 19th century. When a ship sinks just off the coast, Eva and her crew, snowed in and starving, have to choose to either rescue the shipwrecked or leave them to die.
Protagonist Pictures, which is handling worldwide sales for the film, co-repping the U.S. with CAA, will give buyers a sneak peek of The Damned at the European Film Market in Berlin this week.
“These are the kinds of stories I’d always hear growing up in Iceland,” says Palsson, “about ships stuck on the rocks, maybe because the Icelanders on shore moved the lighthouse to trick people...
Odessa Young (HBO’s The Staircase) stars as Eva, a widow running an isolated fishing post in Iceland’s West Fjords in the 19th century. When a ship sinks just off the coast, Eva and her crew, snowed in and starving, have to choose to either rescue the shipwrecked or leave them to die.
Protagonist Pictures, which is handling worldwide sales for the film, co-repping the U.S. with CAA, will give buyers a sneak peek of The Damned at the European Film Market in Berlin this week.
“These are the kinds of stories I’d always hear growing up in Iceland,” says Palsson, “about ships stuck on the rocks, maybe because the Icelanders on shore moved the lighthouse to trick people...
- 2/15/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Variety has a first look at “The Damned,” the upcoming psychological horror starring Odessa Young and Joe Cole.
From director Thordur Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) and writer Jamie Hannigan, the film, which shot in Iceland last year, follows Eva (Young), a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost in the middle of an especially cruel winter. According to the synopsis, “Eva and her crew must choose between rescuing the shipwrecked and prioritising their own survival. Facing the consequences of their choice and tormented by their guilt, the inhabitants wrestle with a mounting sense of dread and begin to believe they are all being punished for their choices.”
Alongside Young and Cole, the cast also includes Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley,” “The Stranger”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones,” “Slow West”), Turlough Convery (“Killing Eve,” “Belfast”), Lewis Gribben (“Somewhere Boy,...
From director Thordur Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) and writer Jamie Hannigan, the film, which shot in Iceland last year, follows Eva (Young), a 19th-century widow who is tasked with making an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost in the middle of an especially cruel winter. According to the synopsis, “Eva and her crew must choose between rescuing the shipwrecked and prioritising their own survival. Facing the consequences of their choice and tormented by their guilt, the inhabitants wrestle with a mounting sense of dread and begin to believe they are all being punished for their choices.”
Alongside Young and Cole, the cast also includes Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley,” “The Stranger”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones,” “Slow West”), Turlough Convery (“Killing Eve,” “Belfast”), Lewis Gribben (“Somewhere Boy,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Seasoned actor Tinna Hrafnsdóttir has joined Icelandic counterparts Aníta Briem and Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir, successful female actors who have made with panache the leap to screenwriting, sharing the distinction of a nomination for best screenplay of a Nordic drama series.
Flying Iceland’s flag at this year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize, to be handed out Jan. 30 at Göteborg’s TV Drama Vision, Hrafnsdóttir is competing with her six-part family drama “Descendants,” co-written by Ottó Geir Borg (“The Valhalla Murders”) and Tyrfingur Tyrfingsson (“Wild Game”).
The TV show is her first experience as a long-form scripted director, following her feature film debut “Quake” which screened at multiple festivals and was acquired by Juno Films for North America and the UK.
The compelling story of sibling rivalry, loyalty and greed is set against the backdrop of Iceland’s booming tourist industry. We follow three siblings who end up at each other’s throats,...
Flying Iceland’s flag at this year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize, to be handed out Jan. 30 at Göteborg’s TV Drama Vision, Hrafnsdóttir is competing with her six-part family drama “Descendants,” co-written by Ottó Geir Borg (“The Valhalla Murders”) and Tyrfingur Tyrfingsson (“Wild Game”).
The TV show is her first experience as a long-form scripted director, following her feature film debut “Quake” which screened at multiple festivals and was acquired by Juno Films for North America and the UK.
The compelling story of sibling rivalry, loyalty and greed is set against the backdrop of Iceland’s booming tourist industry. We follow three siblings who end up at each other’s throats,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Red Arrow Studios International has inked a deal with Portuguese pubcaster Rtp on the Icelandic family drama series “Descendants,“ from “Quake“ helmer Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
The show is vying for the €20,000 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for best Nordic screenplay at the Göteborg Film Festival‘s forthcoming TV Drama Vision confab. Seven.One Studios‘ global distribution arm holds rights outside Iceland (Síminn) and Benelux (Lumiere).
Picked up at script stage by Red Arrow Studios International, the character-driven drama is the showrunning debut of seasoned actor Hrafnsdóttir, whose first feature “Quake” earned a nod at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2022 and was acquired by Juno Films for North America and the U.K.
“‘Descendants’ offers a captivating exploration of intricate family dynamics amidst Iceland’s stunning visual backdrop,” said Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, VP scripted, acquisitions and co-productions at Red Arrow Studios International. “Combining relentless power struggles and the sway of...
The show is vying for the €20,000 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize for best Nordic screenplay at the Göteborg Film Festival‘s forthcoming TV Drama Vision confab. Seven.One Studios‘ global distribution arm holds rights outside Iceland (Síminn) and Benelux (Lumiere).
Picked up at script stage by Red Arrow Studios International, the character-driven drama is the showrunning debut of seasoned actor Hrafnsdóttir, whose first feature “Quake” earned a nod at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2022 and was acquired by Juno Films for North America and the U.K.
“‘Descendants’ offers a captivating exploration of intricate family dynamics amidst Iceland’s stunning visual backdrop,” said Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, VP scripted, acquisitions and co-productions at Red Arrow Studios International. “Combining relentless power struggles and the sway of...
- 1/19/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
The Darkness is descending in Iceland.
Principal photography on the CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures’ six-part, English-language drama co-production for Icelandic telecoms and streaming company Síminn is underway in the country’s capital Reykjavík, and the cast has now rounded out.
Jack Bannon (Pennyworth), Douglas Henshall, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (A Gentleman in Moscow), Thorsteinn Bachmann (Katla), Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson (The Minister), Tora Hallström (Hilma), Ahd Tamimi (River City) and Árni Þór Lárusson have joined the cast, which Lena Olin is leading.
Suzanne Crowley and Gilly Poole are UK casting directors, with Tinna Aðalbjörndottir and Andrea Brabin in Reykavík covering casting for Iceland.
Based on the best-selling thriller series by Ragnar Jónasson, The Darkness follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir as she investigates a shocking murder case whilst coming to terms with her own personal traumas. Facing early retirement and forced to take on a new partner,...
Principal photography on the CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures’ six-part, English-language drama co-production for Icelandic telecoms and streaming company Síminn is underway in the country’s capital Reykjavík, and the cast has now rounded out.
Jack Bannon (Pennyworth), Douglas Henshall, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (A Gentleman in Moscow), Thorsteinn Bachmann (Katla), Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson (The Minister), Tora Hallström (Hilma), Ahd Tamimi (River City) and Árni Þór Lárusson have joined the cast, which Lena Olin is leading.
Suzanne Crowley and Gilly Poole are UK casting directors, with Tinna Aðalbjörndottir and Andrea Brabin in Reykavík covering casting for Iceland.
Based on the best-selling thriller series by Ragnar Jónasson, The Darkness follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir as she investigates a shocking murder case whilst coming to terms with her own personal traumas. Facing early retirement and forced to take on a new partner,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Big-budget disaster series “Estonia,” Canneseries winner “Power Play” and “Painkiller,” the TV drama debut of Göteborg victor Gabriela Pilcher (“Amateur”) feature among the five contenders for next year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize which serves to underscore the robust breadth of current Nordic scripted series.
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
- 12/15/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Remember how we mentioned that last week was a bit of a “calm before the storm” situation, as we get closer to the Halloween season and its nonstop onslaught of fresh horror movies?
That orange wave has arrived, and it won’t be slowing down until October 31. In fact, there are so many new releases this week that we’re going to break them up into separate days.
Here’s all the new horror that just released for August 22, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Cinephobia Releasing brings Dane Elcar‘s acclaimed sci-fi thriller Brightwood home today, a time loop horror movie that’s now available on all your favorite VOD outlets.
The indie horror movie centers on a married couple at the end of their rope, and that’s before they get trapped into a loop with a hooded killer in the woods.
That orange wave has arrived, and it won’t be slowing down until October 31. In fact, there are so many new releases this week that we’re going to break them up into separate days.
Here’s all the new horror that just released for August 22, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Cinephobia Releasing brings Dane Elcar‘s acclaimed sci-fi thriller Brightwood home today, a time loop horror movie that’s now available on all your favorite VOD outlets.
The indie horror movie centers on a married couple at the end of their rope, and that’s before they get trapped into a loop with a hooded killer in the woods.
- 8/22/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Dark Winds is a crime thriller series created by Graham Roland. The AMC series is based on a Leaphorn & Chee novel series written by Tony Hillerman. Dark Winds is set in the 1970s Southwest and it follows the story of two Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) as they go up against their dark past and evil forces to maintain peace in their community. Dark Winds recently aired its second season and while you wait for Season 3 to come out here are some similar shows you could check out.
The Chestnut Man (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: The Chestnut Man is set in a quiet suburb of Copenhagen, where the police make a terrible discovery one blustery October morning. A young woman is found brutally murdered in a playground and one of her hands is missing. Next to her lies a small man made of chestnuts.
The Chestnut Man (Netflix) Credit – Netflix
Synopsis: The Chestnut Man is set in a quiet suburb of Copenhagen, where the police make a terrible discovery one blustery October morning. A young woman is found brutally murdered in a playground and one of her hands is missing. Next to her lies a small man made of chestnuts.
- 8/20/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
There have been horror takes on children’s stories before, but turning fairy tales into horror movies has become very trendy lately. Earlier this year, we got Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (read our review Here), and the filmmakers behind that movie are planning to make a sequel, while also building a cinematic universe that will include horror versions of Bambi and Peter Pan (Bambi: The Reckoning and Peter Pan: Neverland Nightmare), among others. Meanwhile, Cinderella’s Curse, Cinderella’s Revenge, Sleeping Beauty’s Massacre, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Death and Porridge are all coming down the line. Before we get any of those, Level 33 Entertainment will be bring Belle, a horrific take on Beauty and the Beast, to VOD on August 22nd. A trailer for the film can be seen in the embed above.
Max Gold, whose previous credits include Surfer’s Paradise, Silicon Beach, and Classic of Changes,...
Max Gold, whose previous credits include Surfer’s Paradise, Silicon Beach, and Classic of Changes,...
- 8/18/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
On the way from Level 33 Entertainment is the horror movie Belle, a brand new reimagining of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast that’s headed home later this summer.
Written and directed by Max Gold, Belle will be released in select theaters July 14 and On Demand August 22.
The film will be playing at Hawkins Theatres Gateway Pavilions 18 in Avondale, Arizona this Friday, July 14, with more theaters to be added throughout the week.
Watch the official trailer for the Beauty and the Beast horror movie below…
In the upcoming film, “Belle would do anything to save her ailing father so she journeys in search of a mythical rose believed to be a cure. As payment for the rose, Belle must surrender herself to a vicious beast and battle his spell.”
Andrea Snædal (“Silicon Beach”), Ingi Hrafn Hilmarsson, Hana Vagnerová, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Helga Braga Jónsdóttir, and Sigurður Sigurjónsson star.
Written and directed by Max Gold, Belle will be released in select theaters July 14 and On Demand August 22.
The film will be playing at Hawkins Theatres Gateway Pavilions 18 in Avondale, Arizona this Friday, July 14, with more theaters to be added throughout the week.
Watch the official trailer for the Beauty and the Beast horror movie below…
In the upcoming film, “Belle would do anything to save her ailing father so she journeys in search of a mythical rose believed to be a cure. As payment for the rose, Belle must surrender herself to a vicious beast and battle his spell.”
Andrea Snædal (“Silicon Beach”), Ingi Hrafn Hilmarsson, Hana Vagnerová, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Helga Braga Jónsdóttir, and Sigurður Sigurjónsson star.
- 7/10/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Director Thordur Palsson has wrapped principal photography in Iceland on “The Damned,” starring Odessa Young.
Newly revealed cast for the psychological horror film includes Joe Cole (“Gangs of London”), Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones”), Turlough Convery (“Killing Eve”), Lewis Gribben (“Somewhere Boy”), Francis Magee (“The Tourist”), Mícheál Óg Lane (“The Guard”) and Andrean Sigurgeirsson (“A Song Called Hate”).
The script was written by Jamie Hannigan and is based on a story by Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). “The Damned” tells the story of Eva, a 19th-century widow who faces a difficult decision when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing post in the middle of an especially cruel winter. Eva and her crew must decide whether to rescue the shipwrecked or survive the winter with their last remaining food. As they face the consequences of their decision and are tormented by guilt, the inhabitants...
Newly revealed cast for the psychological horror film includes Joe Cole (“Gangs of London”), Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones”), Turlough Convery (“Killing Eve”), Lewis Gribben (“Somewhere Boy”), Francis Magee (“The Tourist”), Mícheál Óg Lane (“The Guard”) and Andrean Sigurgeirsson (“A Song Called Hate”).
The script was written by Jamie Hannigan and is based on a story by Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). “The Damned” tells the story of Eva, a 19th-century widow who faces a difficult decision when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing post in the middle of an especially cruel winter. Eva and her crew must decide whether to rescue the shipwrecked or survive the winter with their last remaining food. As they face the consequences of their decision and are tormented by guilt, the inhabitants...
- 4/27/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
REinvent International Sales has secured global rights to “Vigdís,” the next big Icelandic TV show from the talent-driven shingle Vesturport and local public broadcaster RÚV, after the 2021 Series Mania winning show “Blackport.” Filming is due to start this fall.
As announced in Variety, the four-part series, co-penned by Björg Magnúsdóttir (“The Minister”) and Ágústa M. Ólafsdóttir, chronicles the inspiring true story of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Iceland’s former president and the world’s first woman democratically elected head of state.
Created in full cooperation with Finnbogadóttir, the show centres on the young woman’s transformation from a teenager to a single working mother who defies the nation’s patriarchal society and her election as president in 1980.
Vesturport is now fully producing, with Rakel Gardarsdóttir serving as producer together with Ólafsdóttir.
Versatile actor, director, producer Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, will be directing, alongside Tinna Hrafnsdóttir (“Quake”), while seasoned actor Nína Dogg Filippusdóttir, one...
As announced in Variety, the four-part series, co-penned by Björg Magnúsdóttir (“The Minister”) and Ágústa M. Ólafsdóttir, chronicles the inspiring true story of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Iceland’s former president and the world’s first woman democratically elected head of state.
Created in full cooperation with Finnbogadóttir, the show centres on the young woman’s transformation from a teenager to a single working mother who defies the nation’s patriarchal society and her election as president in 1980.
Vesturport is now fully producing, with Rakel Gardarsdóttir serving as producer together with Ólafsdóttir.
Versatile actor, director, producer Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, will be directing, alongside Tinna Hrafnsdóttir (“Quake”), while seasoned actor Nína Dogg Filippusdóttir, one...
- 4/10/2023
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Former Netflix executive Tania Zarak Quintana has joined Iceland’s Truenorth, one of the leading production services companies in the Nordics, as it looks to ramp up development of original content.
The production outfit is developing a slate of original shows including “Starlungar,” a 10-part series it’s dubbed “‘The Godfather’ of the 13th century” that follows four wealthy and powerful clans as they fight to gain power over Iceland, and “Eyland,” a dystopian series set in present-day Iceland that questions what would happen if communication with the rest of the world suddenly stopped.
Truenorth is also attached to co-produce a feature-film adaptation of bestselling Icelandic author Ragnar Jónasson’s thriller “Outside,” which was optioned by Scott Free Productions.
Quintana worked in 2018-19 as a manager in Netflix’s international originals division. In 2020, she relocated to Iceland due to the coronavirus pandemic. As VP of development, she’s been tapped...
The production outfit is developing a slate of original shows including “Starlungar,” a 10-part series it’s dubbed “‘The Godfather’ of the 13th century” that follows four wealthy and powerful clans as they fight to gain power over Iceland, and “Eyland,” a dystopian series set in present-day Iceland that questions what would happen if communication with the rest of the world suddenly stopped.
Truenorth is also attached to co-produce a feature-film adaptation of bestselling Icelandic author Ragnar Jónasson’s thriller “Outside,” which was optioned by Scott Free Productions.
Quintana worked in 2018-19 as a manager in Netflix’s international originals division. In 2020, she relocated to Iceland due to the coronavirus pandemic. As VP of development, she’s been tapped...
- 8/26/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Writer-director Tinna Hrafnsdóttir’s critically acclaimed Icelandic psychological-mystery drama “Quake” has sold to Juno Films for North America and the U.K. as well as to Njuta Films for Sweden.
British-French production, distribution and sales company Alief is presenting the film at the upcoming Cannes Marché du Film.
Anita Briem stars as Saga, a single mother fighting to keep her young son while trying to piece together her life after losing her memory. Afraid of being considered unable to take care of her child, Saga attempts to hide her state from others as she searches for answers and recovers long repressed memories.
“‘Quake’ is a taut mystery-thriller that masterfully spirals toward a cathartic, emotionally satisfying resolution,” said Elizabeth Sheldon, Juno Films’ president and CEO. “The stunning cinematography reflects a barren cold landscape that in turn reflects the emotionally frigid familial relationships in a film that keeps you guessing — until the very end — what is true.
British-French production, distribution and sales company Alief is presenting the film at the upcoming Cannes Marché du Film.
Anita Briem stars as Saga, a single mother fighting to keep her young son while trying to piece together her life after losing her memory. Afraid of being considered unable to take care of her child, Saga attempts to hide her state from others as she searches for answers and recovers long repressed memories.
“‘Quake’ is a taut mystery-thriller that masterfully spirals toward a cathartic, emotionally satisfying resolution,” said Elizabeth Sheldon, Juno Films’ president and CEO. “The stunning cinematography reflects a barren cold landscape that in turn reflects the emotionally frigid familial relationships in a film that keeps you guessing — until the very end — what is true.
- 5/12/2022
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
High in the north Atlantic, nestled between Iceland and Norway, lie the moss-covered basalt cliffs of the Faroe Islands: a Danish fishing archipelago and the perfect setting for Viaplay’s new original series “Trom.” Based on Danish writer Jógvan Isaksen’s bestselling crime novels, and adapted for screen by creator and head writer Torfinnur Jákupsson and Donna Sharpe, “Trom” is a six-episode Nordic Noir produced and distributed by Denmark’s REinvent Studios in co-production with Faroe Islands-based Kyk Pictures, Iceland’s Truenorth and Germany’s Zdf/Arte.
In what has signalled a breakthrough for many Scandinavian series, the BBC acquired “Trom” in a deal announced just before the series’ premiere at February’s Berlinale Series Market Selects.
Co-directed by Kasper Barfoed (“The Chestnut Man”), Davið Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”), and Peter Ahlén, “Trom”
follows rogue journalist Hannis Martinsson, played by Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”). When Hannis receives an ominous...
In what has signalled a breakthrough for many Scandinavian series, the BBC acquired “Trom” in a deal announced just before the series’ premiere at February’s Berlinale Series Market Selects.
Co-directed by Kasper Barfoed (“The Chestnut Man”), Davið Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”), and Peter Ahlén, “Trom”
follows rogue journalist Hannis Martinsson, played by Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”). When Hannis receives an ominous...
- 4/28/2022
- by JD Linville
- Variety Film + TV
BBC has acquired “Trom,” a crime drama set in the Faroe Islands, which will have its international premiere at the Berlinale Series Market Selects.
A Viaplay Original, “Trom” is produced by REinvent Studios with Kyk Pictures and Truenorth. REinvent International Sales represents worldwide rights. “Trom” will premiere on Viaplay on Feb. 13
Based on Jagvan Isaksen’s crime novels, “Trom” was created by Torfinnur Jákupsson and directed by Kasper Barfoed (“Dicte: Crime Reporter”) and Davíd Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). The cinematic show is headlined by Nordic stars including Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”), Maria Rich (“Follow The Money”) and Olaf Johannessen (“The Exception”).
“We are thrilled and proud that the BBC has come on board ‘Trom,'” said Helene Aurø, sales and marketing director at REinvent International Sales. “BBC has broadcast some of the best Nordic series ever produced in the past and we hope ‘Trom’ will be a success as well.
A Viaplay Original, “Trom” is produced by REinvent Studios with Kyk Pictures and Truenorth. REinvent International Sales represents worldwide rights. “Trom” will premiere on Viaplay on Feb. 13
Based on Jagvan Isaksen’s crime novels, “Trom” was created by Torfinnur Jákupsson and directed by Kasper Barfoed (“Dicte: Crime Reporter”) and Davíd Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). The cinematic show is headlined by Nordic stars including Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”), Maria Rich (“Follow The Money”) and Olaf Johannessen (“The Exception”).
“We are thrilled and proud that the BBC has come on board ‘Trom,'” said Helene Aurø, sales and marketing director at REinvent International Sales. “BBC has broadcast some of the best Nordic series ever produced in the past and we hope ‘Trom’ will be a success as well.
- 1/28/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
U.K.-French sales agent, distribution and production company Alief has picked up worldwide sales for Icelandic haunting mystery title “Quake,” which will have its world premiere Nov. 20 at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Variety has been given access to the trailer.
The project was selected for Toronto Film Festival Filmmaker Lab in 2017, was selected to the final round at Sundance Institute Development Track in 2018, and the film was picked by Toronto Film Festival for its Industry Selects program this year.
It is the feature debut as writer and director of actor Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, whose acting credits include “Margrete – Queen of the North,” “Valhalla Murders” and “The Minister.”
The film, based on the novel “Grand Mal/Quake: A Novel” by Audur Jonsdóttir, stars Anita Briem, and Edda Björgvinsdóttir. It is produced by Hlín Jóhannesdóttir of Ursus Parvus.
“Quake” follows Saga (Briem), a single mother in her late thirties, who gets...
The project was selected for Toronto Film Festival Filmmaker Lab in 2017, was selected to the final round at Sundance Institute Development Track in 2018, and the film was picked by Toronto Film Festival for its Industry Selects program this year.
It is the feature debut as writer and director of actor Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, whose acting credits include “Margrete – Queen of the North,” “Valhalla Murders” and “The Minister.”
The film, based on the novel “Grand Mal/Quake: A Novel” by Audur Jonsdóttir, stars Anita Briem, and Edda Björgvinsdóttir. It is produced by Hlín Jóhannesdóttir of Ursus Parvus.
“Quake” follows Saga (Briem), a single mother in her late thirties, who gets...
- 11/4/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“Mothering Sunday’s” Odessa Young has been tapped for award-winning director Thordur Palsson’s upcoming psychological horror “The Damned.”
The film will see Young star as Eva, a 19th-century widow tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
As the villagers struggle with their guilt, Eva begins to experience unsettling visions and suspects they are being punished for their choice. Shooting will begin on location in Iceland in January 2022.
Protagonist Pictures will represent sales worldwide, co-repping U.S. rights with CAA Media Finance.
Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) wrote the story while Jamie Hannigan wrote the screenplay (supported by Screen Ireland).
Young is currently appearing in Cannes title “Mothering Sunday” alongside Olivia Colman (“The Father”), Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) and Josh O’Connor...
The film will see Young star as Eva, a 19th-century widow tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
As the villagers struggle with their guilt, Eva begins to experience unsettling visions and suspects they are being punished for their choice. Shooting will begin on location in Iceland in January 2022.
Protagonist Pictures will represent sales worldwide, co-repping U.S. rights with CAA Media Finance.
Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) wrote the story while Jamie Hannigan wrote the screenplay (supported by Screen Ireland).
Young is currently appearing in Cannes title “Mothering Sunday” alongside Olivia Colman (“The Father”), Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) and Josh O’Connor...
- 7/8/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
REinvent Studios’ anticipated crime series “Trom” is getting ready to shoot in the lush landscapes of the Faroe Islands with a cast packed with Nordic stars, including Ulrich Thomsen (“The New Pope”), Maria Rich (“Follow The Money”) and Olaf Johannessen (“The Exception”).
Based on Jagvan Isaksen’s crime novels, the series is created by Torfinnur Jákupsson and co-written with Donna Sharpe (“West of Liberty”). REinvent is producing the series with Kyk Pictures and Truenorth.
It will mark the first crime drama to be created in the Faroe Islands. Shooting will kick off on location in March. Kasper Barfoed (“Dicte: Crime Reporter”) and Davíd Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) are on board to direct the series.
The six-part show follows journalist Hannis Martinsson (Ulrich Thomsen), who unexpectedly receives a message from Sonja, his estranged daughter, claiming that her life is in danger. Hannis reluctantly returns home to the Faroes to investigate,...
Based on Jagvan Isaksen’s crime novels, the series is created by Torfinnur Jákupsson and co-written with Donna Sharpe (“West of Liberty”). REinvent is producing the series with Kyk Pictures and Truenorth.
It will mark the first crime drama to be created in the Faroe Islands. Shooting will kick off on location in March. Kasper Barfoed (“Dicte: Crime Reporter”) and Davíd Óskar Ólafsson (“The Valhalla Murders”) are on board to direct the series.
The six-part show follows journalist Hannis Martinsson (Ulrich Thomsen), who unexpectedly receives a message from Sonja, his estranged daughter, claiming that her life is in danger. Hannis reluctantly returns home to the Faroes to investigate,...
- 2/8/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Acclaimed Icelandic director Baldvin Z will bring to television the first ever fiction series about Iceland’s former president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir. “The Valhalla Murders” star Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir has cornered the coveted title role.
The mini-series, commissioned by Icelandic pubcaster RÚV, will be pitched for the first at Göteborg’s TV Drama Vision confab which runs Feb. 3-4).
The project, currently in development, is being produced by Ágústa Olafsdóttir and Rakel Gardarsdóttir of Vesturport (who came up with the idea) with Glassriver’s CEO Hordur Rúnarsson as well as Arnbjorg Haflidadóttir. The screenplay is written by “The Minister” scribe Bjorg Magnusdóttir, together with Olafsdóttir and Jana Maria Gudmundsdóttir.
Four-part series “Vigdís” will follow the remarkable transformation of a young Icelandic woman – Vigdís Finnbogadóttir- from a teenager in 1946 to her triumphal presidential election in 1980. We will see her defy her country’s patriarchal society, overcome adversity and eventually make history by...
The mini-series, commissioned by Icelandic pubcaster RÚV, will be pitched for the first at Göteborg’s TV Drama Vision confab which runs Feb. 3-4).
The project, currently in development, is being produced by Ágústa Olafsdóttir and Rakel Gardarsdóttir of Vesturport (who came up with the idea) with Glassriver’s CEO Hordur Rúnarsson as well as Arnbjorg Haflidadóttir. The screenplay is written by “The Minister” scribe Bjorg Magnusdóttir, together with Olafsdóttir and Jana Maria Gudmundsdóttir.
Four-part series “Vigdís” will follow the remarkable transformation of a young Icelandic woman – Vigdís Finnbogadóttir- from a teenager in 1946 to her triumphal presidential election in 1980. We will see her defy her country’s patriarchal society, overcome adversity and eventually make history by...
- 1/22/2021
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Kelsey Grammer, US women’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper among cast.
Production is scheduled to kick off in Atlanta on Monday (September 21) on Cdw Films’ football drama High Expectations starring Kelsey Grammer from the executive producers behind Netlfix’s first Icelandic show The Valhalla Murders.
Chris White of Cdw Films and Kristinn Thordarson of Icelandic powerhouse Truenorth are producing and Jonathan Southard will direct the privately financed independent drama about a talented young player’s redemptive journey.
Taylor Gray will play the lead Jack, who confronts his father, a legendary former player and now club owner, after the older man dropped...
Production is scheduled to kick off in Atlanta on Monday (September 21) on Cdw Films’ football drama High Expectations starring Kelsey Grammer from the executive producers behind Netlfix’s first Icelandic show The Valhalla Murders.
Chris White of Cdw Films and Kristinn Thordarson of Icelandic powerhouse Truenorth are producing and Jonathan Southard will direct the privately financed independent drama about a talented young player’s redemptive journey.
Taylor Gray will play the lead Jack, who confronts his father, a legendary former player and now club owner, after the older man dropped...
- 9/18/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: CBS Studios has struck a global first-look deal with Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures International and has set its first project – an adaptation of Ragnar Jónasson’s best-selling Nordic noir book The Darkness.
The two companies will work together to source, acquire and develop premium scripted content for the international market that is creatively anchored outside the United States.
The first project is a series adaptation of Jónasson’s The Darkness, from his Hulda series of crime novels. Rising writer Andrea Janakas, who wrote Amanda Seyfried-fronted short film Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, is attached to write
The eight-part series is set in Reykjavik, Iceland, among the isolated fjords. It follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who is given two weeks, before retirement to solve the cold case of a young Russian woman, whose body washes up on an Icelandic shore. Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time,...
The two companies will work together to source, acquire and develop premium scripted content for the international market that is creatively anchored outside the United States.
The first project is a series adaptation of Jónasson’s The Darkness, from his Hulda series of crime novels. Rising writer Andrea Janakas, who wrote Amanda Seyfried-fronted short film Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, is attached to write
The eight-part series is set in Reykjavik, Iceland, among the isolated fjords. It follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who is given two weeks, before retirement to solve the cold case of a young Russian woman, whose body washes up on an Icelandic shore. Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time,...
- 9/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The Vesturport-created drama series centres on a turbulent recent period for Iceland’s fishing industry through a group of friends who build their own small empire. According to the Nordisk Film & TV Fond’s exclusive announcement (see the news), the Icelandic eight-part drama series Black Port has commenced filming around Reykjavik and in the Westfjords, as the country has allowed crews to return to set as long as health regulations are followed. Produced by well-known theatrical and film collective Vesturport for RÚV, the series was co-created by its founding members, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Gísli Örn Garðarsson (Ragnarok) and Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir (The Valhalla Murders), and they share a production credit with Nana Alfredsdóttir. The story is set in a small coastal fishing village between 1984 and 1991, during a challenging period for Iceland’s fishing industry, which was riddled with greed and corruption. One of the major changes was the...
Twisted Nordic noir gets a wry edge of humour in this Icelandic whodunit series that should satiate your binging urges if you love your mysteries served dark, but without too many complex subtexts. Thordur Palsson's eight-episode series is fairly simple in storytelling, but smart enough to leave you guessing with the right twists at the apt moments.
You would be following the thriller via subtitles of course but you don't miss its element of universality, which lies in the fact that this story could be imagined in any part of the world. Like many classic murder mysteries, the series starts off on a languid note, before a slowburn narrative takes you to a point where it literally gives a wild spin to the tale.
Scandinavian thrillers have a quaint quality that makes them irresistible. They narrate cold, often brutal, stories that delve into the darkest recesses of the criminal mind,...
You would be following the thriller via subtitles of course but you don't miss its element of universality, which lies in the fact that this story could be imagined in any part of the world. Like many classic murder mysteries, the series starts off on a languid note, before a slowburn narrative takes you to a point where it literally gives a wild spin to the tale.
Scandinavian thrillers have a quaint quality that makes them irresistible. They narrate cold, often brutal, stories that delve into the darkest recesses of the criminal mind,...
- 3/19/2020
- GlamSham
Editor’s note: The list is constantly updated. Dates refer to when announcements were made, or when an event is scheduled to happen.
You’ve probably seen our other Covid-19 list, the one where we are examining every cancellation that has taken place as the pandemic takes hold in our community. This is the counterpoint to that “Houston, we have a problem” list; this is the one where we’ll talk about how the show must go on, how the Force will be with us, and, maybe most importantly, how we’ll be back.
More from IndieWireNetflix Stalls All Film, TV Productions, Including 'Stranger Things,' Due to CoronavirusWhy Film Permits Are Still Being Issued, and Studios Took So Long to Shut Down Production
IndieWire will continue to update this page with the latest breaking news regarding virtual events, work logistics, TV premieres, and general acts of bravery and kindness.
You’ve probably seen our other Covid-19 list, the one where we are examining every cancellation that has taken place as the pandemic takes hold in our community. This is the counterpoint to that “Houston, we have a problem” list; this is the one where we’ll talk about how the show must go on, how the Force will be with us, and, maybe most importantly, how we’ll be back.
More from IndieWireNetflix Stalls All Film, TV Productions, Including 'Stranger Things,' Due to CoronavirusWhy Film Permits Are Still Being Issued, and Studios Took So Long to Shut Down Production
IndieWire will continue to update this page with the latest breaking news regarding virtual events, work logistics, TV premieres, and general acts of bravery and kindness.
- 3/13/2020
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
Netflix has confirmed that 55 new original series, movies and specials will be debuting on the streaming service in March. Leading off the lineup is the third season of the Emmy-winning crime drama “Ozark” starring Jason Bateman, Laura Linney and Julie Garner.
Among the original films is “Spenser Confidential,” a reboot of the 1980s crime series starring Robert Urich. This time around Mark Wahlberg plays the cop turned detective alongside rapper Post Malone who makes his acting debut.
Leading the list of documentaries is “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” which details the catalyst for the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. It is executive produced by the Obamas, who were also behind the recent Oscar winner “American Factory.”
Below is the full schedule of everything that is coming and leaving Netflix in March 2020.
Available March 1
Always a Bridesmaid
Beyond the Mat
Cop Out
Corpse Bride
Donnie Brasco
Freedom Writers
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past...
Among the original films is “Spenser Confidential,” a reboot of the 1980s crime series starring Robert Urich. This time around Mark Wahlberg plays the cop turned detective alongside rapper Post Malone who makes his acting debut.
Leading the list of documentaries is “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” which details the catalyst for the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. It is executive produced by the Obamas, who were also behind the recent Oscar winner “American Factory.”
Below is the full schedule of everything that is coming and leaving Netflix in March 2020.
Available March 1
Always a Bridesmaid
Beyond the Mat
Cop Out
Corpse Bride
Donnie Brasco
Freedom Writers
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past...
- 3/1/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Netflix is adding a robust line-up of popular programs to its slate in March.
In addition to rom-coms like Matthew Mcconaughey’s “Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past,” “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Always a Bridesmaid,” the streamer is also adding a few classics like “Goodfellas” and “The Shawshank Redemption” starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. The latter film also serves as an analogy for actor Macaulay Culkin’s journey to freedom, according to his Esquire interview.
Original Netflix shows coming to the platform next month include “Lost Girls,” “Crip Camp” and Season 3 of “Elite.” Based on a true story, “Lost Girls” follows a mother who, in her desperate search to find her missing daughter, helps to uncover a string of unsolved murders. Amy Ryan, Gabriel Byrne and Thomasin Mckenzie make up the cast.
“Elite” follows three working-class teens who enroll in an exclusive Spanish private school. But once they arrive,...
In addition to rom-coms like Matthew Mcconaughey’s “Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past,” “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Always a Bridesmaid,” the streamer is also adding a few classics like “Goodfellas” and “The Shawshank Redemption” starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. The latter film also serves as an analogy for actor Macaulay Culkin’s journey to freedom, according to his Esquire interview.
Original Netflix shows coming to the platform next month include “Lost Girls,” “Crip Camp” and Season 3 of “Elite.” Based on a true story, “Lost Girls” follows a mother who, in her desperate search to find her missing daughter, helps to uncover a string of unsolved murders. Amy Ryan, Gabriel Byrne and Thomasin Mckenzie make up the cast.
“Elite” follows three working-class teens who enroll in an exclusive Spanish private school. But once they arrive,...
- 2/28/2020
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
With February 29th fast approaching – this is a Leap Year, remember – Netflix is preparing to roll out a fresh helping of new content for March 2020.
It’s a familiar combination of original series, time-honored classics and beloved franchise films, with next month set to herald the arrival of Resident Evil: Apocalypse and its undead sequel, Extinction. Sure, it’s a far cry from the quality and craft of The Lord of the Rings – speaking of which, both the Twin Towers and The Return of the King will be departing Netflix in four weeks’ time – but the saga of Alice still carved out an audience to call its own.
Also peppered throughout Netflix’s March 2020 catalog are some big-name horror titles and edge-of-your-seat thrillers, including Signs and the third season of Ozark. And then there’s the third season of Castlevania, which, it’s fair to say, has been a long time coming.
It’s a familiar combination of original series, time-honored classics and beloved franchise films, with next month set to herald the arrival of Resident Evil: Apocalypse and its undead sequel, Extinction. Sure, it’s a far cry from the quality and craft of The Lord of the Rings – speaking of which, both the Twin Towers and The Return of the King will be departing Netflix in four weeks’ time – but the saga of Alice still carved out an audience to call its own.
Also peppered throughout Netflix’s March 2020 catalog are some big-name horror titles and edge-of-your-seat thrillers, including Signs and the third season of Ozark. And then there’s the third season of Castlevania, which, it’s fair to say, has been a long time coming.
- 2/19/2020
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Alec Bojalad Feb 19, 2020
Here's what's new on Netflix in March 2020! We've got a complete list of what's leaving, too.
Normally the big story for each month of Netflix new releases are the exciting batch of Netflix original series and movies arriving. For Netflix's new releases for March 2020, things are a little bit different. Yes, there are some cool originals here but...look at those movies!
March 1 sees the arrival of Corpse Bride, The Shawshank Redemption, There Will Be Blood, and Goodfellas! Martin Scorsese likely can't unilaterally decide when and where his movies stream, but it is a happy coincidence that Goodfellas will now exist alongside The Irishman.
As for those Netflix originals...Ozark is the biggest returning hit in March. The story of a very corrupt family airs its third season on March 27. Also of note are Castlevania season 3 (March 5), Altered Carbon: Resleeved (March 19). But really after Goodfellas, nothing else was really necessary.
Here's what's new on Netflix in March 2020! We've got a complete list of what's leaving, too.
Normally the big story for each month of Netflix new releases are the exciting batch of Netflix original series and movies arriving. For Netflix's new releases for March 2020, things are a little bit different. Yes, there are some cool originals here but...look at those movies!
March 1 sees the arrival of Corpse Bride, The Shawshank Redemption, There Will Be Blood, and Goodfellas! Martin Scorsese likely can't unilaterally decide when and where his movies stream, but it is a happy coincidence that Goodfellas will now exist alongside The Irishman.
As for those Netflix originals...Ozark is the biggest returning hit in March. The story of a very corrupt family airs its third season on March 27. Also of note are Castlevania season 3 (March 5), Altered Carbon: Resleeved (March 19). But really after Goodfellas, nothing else was really necessary.
- 2/19/2020
- Den of Geek
Netflix is out with its list of everything coming and going in March, and highlights include “Ozark” Season 3, coming March 27, and the Brazilian version of the popular reality competition “The Circle,” coming March 11.
There’s good news and bad news. The good news is we’re gaining some beloved mid-2000s films, like “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Valentine’s Day” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Corpse Bride” and “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” plus some ’90s favorites like “Space Jam” and “GoodFellas.”
The bad news is that throughout the month we’re losing “Black Panther,” “Eat Pray Love,” “The Waterboy,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Batman Begins,” both “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and “The Two Towers,” and “Kill Bill” Volumes 1 and 2.
Also Read: Hulu in March: Here's Everything Coming and Going
Here’s the full list of everything coming and going throughout next month.
There’s good news and bad news. The good news is we’re gaining some beloved mid-2000s films, like “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Valentine’s Day” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Corpse Bride” and “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” plus some ’90s favorites like “Space Jam” and “GoodFellas.”
The bad news is that throughout the month we’re losing “Black Panther,” “Eat Pray Love,” “The Waterboy,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Batman Begins,” both “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and “The Two Towers,” and “Kill Bill” Volumes 1 and 2.
Also Read: Hulu in March: Here's Everything Coming and Going
Here’s the full list of everything coming and going throughout next month.
- 2/19/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Thriller set to shoot on Iceland.
Iceland’s Truenorth is planning its first English-language film, The Hidden, a thriller that could be ready to shoot in the Icelandic highlands by the end of this year.
Truenorth is in talks with Us partners on the project. The plot follows American geologists in Iceland who disturb “hidden people.” Thor Saevarsson will direct from a script by Ottar Nordfjord.
“We’re interested in moving more in that kind of project in the English language and partnering with international finance,” said Truenorth’s Kristinn Thordarson.
Truenorth is celebrating another first as co-producer on Netflix’s maiden Icelandic series,...
Iceland’s Truenorth is planning its first English-language film, The Hidden, a thriller that could be ready to shoot in the Icelandic highlands by the end of this year.
Truenorth is in talks with Us partners on the project. The plot follows American geologists in Iceland who disturb “hidden people.” Thor Saevarsson will direct from a script by Ottar Nordfjord.
“We’re interested in moving more in that kind of project in the English language and partnering with international finance,” said Truenorth’s Kristinn Thordarson.
Truenorth is celebrating another first as co-producer on Netflix’s maiden Icelandic series,...
- 2/12/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
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