London-based Cineflix Rights has snapped up international rights to the premium crime series “Hildur” which just started filming in Iceland for production partners Take Two Studios, Sagafilm, Nelonen Media’s streamer Ruutu in Finland, Simínn in Iceland and private funder IPR.VC.
The six-part series, primarily in the English-language, is based on Satu Rämö’s literary phenomenon “Hildur,” which sold nearly one million copies worldwide and put the “Nordic Blue” genre on the global map.
“‘Hildur’ is the perfect example of the increasingly popular ‘Nordic Blue’ genre, a thriller with strong characters unravelling a complex case, but combined with warmer themes of love and friendship, humor and mysticism, all set against the beautiful backdrop of one of the world’s most scenic locations,” said James Durie, Cineflix Rights head of scripted who looks forward to bringing “Hildur”’s story to life for her many fans around the world.”
Adapted by seasoned scribe and head writer Matti Laine (“The Paradise, “Bordertown”) together with Margret Örnolfsdottir (“Trapped,” “Prisoners”), the show is set in the remote and stunningly picturesque Westfjords region of Iceland, and the small town of Ísafjörður.
Ebba Katrín Finnsdóttir (“Vigdís,” “The School of Housewives”) plays the titular character of Hildur, a female detective from the Ísafjörður police, who takes to surfing to try to forget the trauma of the disappearance of her two sisters 25 years earlier.
When put on the case of a baffling series of crimes, she begins to uncover long-standing mysteries, with the help of her unlikely side-kicks Jakob (Lauri Tilkanen,”Deadwind”) a Finnish trainee officer with a passion for knitting, and Florian (Rick Okon, “Das Boot”), a German recruit mistakenly assigned to the team.
Rounding off the A-list cast are Nína Dögg Filipusardóttir (“Vigdís,” “Blackport”), Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir (“Black Sands,” “Women at War”), Oddur Julíusson (“The Minister,” “Descendants”) and Oona Airola (“Helsinki Syndrome,” “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”).
Helmer Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, most recently credited for “Descendants” a best Nordic Series Script nominee, and “Vigdís,” at this year’s Berlinale Series Market Selects, said about the ensemble cast: “I’m super proud of the casting.
As a director I wanted to create a colourful and dynamic character gallery, and I’m thrilled with how this vision has been brought to life in collaboration with my talented make-up and costume designer team, Ásta Hafþórsdóttir and Eva Lind Rútsdóttir. I’ve had the privilege of working with most of the Icelandic cast before and know exactly what they can bring to the table.
Having Ebba Katrín in the lead as Hildur is something I’m particularly excited about, for I know she can deliver an amazing performance. I’m also really excited to work with the foreign cast from Finland and Germany.”
Hrafnsdóttir who was instantly drawn to the project for its unique literary material and scale of the international co-production, said her vision is “to let the dramatic landscape, stormy seas and towering mountains, serve as a powerful backdrop for the mystery and also let it mirror the inner struggles of the characters.”
On the production front, Take Two Studios’ COO Sara Norberg underscored the tight collaboration with Iceland’s Sagafilm, both in the creative development and financing, that “was key to achieving the project’s ambitions.”
She also highlighted the “essential” support from heavyweight private funder IPR.VC, both through Take Two Studio’s slate development financing deal, and “the financing of the production through a new fund for European TV series targeting an international audience.”
The crime show was executive produced by Take Two Studios’ Norberg and Eero Hietala, Sagafilm’s Kjartan Thor Thordarson and Tjörvi Thorsson, as well as IPR.VC’s Timo Argillander, James Baker and Andrea Scarso. According to Norberg, principal photography will end at the end of May, for a premiere early 2026.
“Hildur” is the second Sagafilm production handled by Cineflix Rights, alongside the hit political drama “The Minister.” The major indie TV content distributor will pitch the project to potential buyers at the upcoming London TV Screenings.
