JAKOB OFTEBRO AND VALHALLA'S FRIDA GUSTAVSSON TO LEAD NEW NETFLIX THRILLER TV SERIES BYTET

  JAKOB OFTEBRO TO LEAD 

BYTET NETFLIX SWEDISH THRILLER DRAMA

Netflix has announced that one of their Swedish originals in 2026 will be four part drama BYTET with our dearest Jakob Oftebro in the lead role. In an effort to save their marriages, Stockholm based Carl (Fares Fares) and Helene (Frida Gustavsson) arrange a holiday house swap with Adam (Jakob Oftebro) and Scarlett (Emma Appleton), who live in Sicily. But upon arriving at their new exclusive home, Carl and Helene start to sense that something feels off. The house doesn’t quite match the pictures of the romantic villa, and unsettling questions arise about the strangers now living in their home. Who are these people they’ve traded homes with? Meanwhile, Adam and Scarlett move into Carl and Helene’s house in Stockholm’s archipelago, a stunning, modern architectural dream. But despite its beauty, things feel awkward. Why are the neighbours so nosy? Why is the walk-in closet locked? As both couples try to reconnect amidst growing suspicions, dark secrets begin to surface.

 

   WISHING YOU ALL A PEACEFUL NEW 2026!   

SEE FIRST IMAGE WITH JAKOB OFTEBRO FROM NEW NETFLIX POLICE SERIES THE CASE

   FIRST THE CASE  

IMAGE FROM NEW NETFLIX SERIES

Continuing our spotlight on new series from international markets, after Sweden and Baltics we are back to Sweden again with first image from THE CASE five part series which will stream next year on Netflix. Our dear Jakob Oftebro plays clean-cut lead investigator Thomas Berg who hunts a serial killer targeting his fellow police officers. In a desperate move, Thomas turns to his estranged father, Alfred (Peter Andersson), a once-respected but now out-of-favor ex-detective. They must put aside their difficult history to have any chance of catching one of Sweden’s most notorious killers.

SEE TRAILER FROM STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH 16TH CENTURY MOVIE WITH CLAES BANG, JAKOB OFTEBRO, SOPHIE COOKSON, EMILY BEECHAM!

  STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH  

FIRST  VIAPLAY EPIC MOVIE TRAILER

The movie has been available since January

Sometime in 2022 your trusted spy has informed you that Scandinavian streamer Viaplay is preparing historical movie STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH and now we have the first trailer since the Mikael Hafstrom directed epic movie has been available for streaming over at the streamer since January 18th. It is Viaplay's second English language film after Lasse Hallstrom's Hilma which is also available on the streamer. Last summer Viaplay had to lay of a quarter of its workforce. Due to their financial trouble they sold about 12% of their shares to French Canal Plus. Prime Video Nordics has recently bought a dozen of their shows scraped for the lack of money. After opting out of shooting expensive high end originals, because of the downfall of their business model, they have also pulled out of UK and USA.

 

  SET IN 1520 THE FILM

explores a dark chapter in Sweden’s history, which saw the infamous massacre of nearly 100 nobles and civilians in the Swedish capital. The film follows Anne (Sophie Cookson) and her foster sister Freja (Alba August) as they seek revenge on the men who murdered their family at Anne’s wedding. Their quest leads them to Stockholm, where they are drawn into a ruthless political struggle between Sweden and Denmark when a group of Swedish aristocrats conspire to overthrow the Danish king Christian II, known by the Swedes as Christian the Tyrant. When the Danish king learns of the nobles' plans, he heads to Stockholm to put an end to the rebellion of the Swedish rebels, under the leadership of the regent Sten Sture. The stuggle culminates in a mass execution of almost 100 Swedes, presided over by King Christian II of Denmark (Claes Bang), known as the Stockholm Bloodbath.

WHO IS TAKING THE BATH?

Beside Sophie Cookson who leads the cast as Anne Eriksson, and  Claes Bang portraying King Kristian II, the international cast also includes Emily Beecham as Kristina Gyllenstierna,  Alba August as Freja Eriksson, Adam Pålsson as Sten Sture, Nordic superstar Jakob Oftebro as Gustaf Trolle, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Didrick Slagheck, Matias Varela as Kardinal Francisco De La Roca, Wilf Scolding as Johan Natt, Dag Ulrich Thomsen as Hemming Gadh, Thomas Chaanhing as Sylvestre and  Kate Ashfield as Birgitta! Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think:

SEE 1ST PHOTOS FROM STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH 16TH CENTURY MOVIE WITH CLAES BANG, JAKOB OFTEBRO, SOPHIE COOKSON, EMILY BEECHAM! SEE 1ST CLIPS FROM TOM JONES AND OTHER PBS HISTORICAL 2023 SHOWS

  STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH  

1ST VIAPLAY MOVIE PHOTOS 

Earlier this year your trusted spy has informed you that Scandinavian streamer Viaplay is preparing historical movie STOCKHOLM BLOODBATH and now we have the first stills along with the full cast revealed for Mikael Hafstrom directed epic movie. It will be Viaplay's second English language film after Lasse Hallstrom's Hilma which is already available on the streamer which recently opened for UK viewers as well. 

 

  SET IN 1520 THE FILM

explores a dark chapter in Sweden’s history, which saw the infamous massacre of nearly 100 nobles and civilians in the Swedish capital. The film follows Anne (Sophie Cookson) and her foster sister Freja (Alba August) as they seek revenge on the men who murdered their family at Anne’s wedding. Their quest leads them to Stockholm, where they are drawn into a ruthless political struggle between Sweden and Denmark when a group of Swedish aristocrats conspire to overthrow the Danish king Christian II, known by the Swedes as Christian the Tyrant. When the Danish king learns of the nobles' plans, he heads to Stockholm to put an end to the rebellion of the Swedish rebels, under the leadership of the regent Sten Sture. The stuggle culminates in a mass execution of almost 100 Swedes, presided over by King Christian II of Denmark (Claes Bang), known as the Stockholm Bloodbath.

WHO IS TAKING THE BATH?

Beside Sophie Cookson who leads the cast as Anne Eriksson, and  Claes Bang portraying King Kristian II, the international cast also includes Emily Beecham as Kristina Gyllenstierna,  Alba August as Freja Eriksson, Adam Pålsson as Sten Sture, Nordic superstar Jakob Oftebro as Gustaf Trolle, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Didrick Slagheck, Matias Varela as Kardinal Francisco De La Roca, Wilf Scolding as Johan Natt, Dag Ulrich Thomsen as Hemming Gadh, Thomas Chaanhing as Sylvestre and  Kate Ashfield as Birgitta!

  MASTERPIECE 2023 REEL 

WITH 1ST TOM JONES CLIP

Tom Jones will air on PBS and on ITV

Speaking of things historical, a delightful treat for you today comes from PBS Masterpiece who has sent us their new video reel previewing all the new series that will premiere during winter and spring 2023. The reel includes exclusive clips from the new seasons of All Creatures Great and Small which already aired in UK but arrives to PBS with season 3 on January 8th, Sanditon which arrives with season 3 next year, Miss Scarlet and The Duke which returns with season 3 November 24th, plus the premiere of  brand new series Tom Jones, a picaresque story of the title character’s complicated journey to find real love, based on the 1749 classic novel with Solly McLeod as the hero Tom, alongside Sophie Wilde as the heroine Sophia Western!

SF TUESDAY: SEE NEW CHARACTER POSTERS FOR PARAMOUNT'S SF TV SERIES HALO WITH PABLO SCHREIBER, NATASCHA MCELHONE! NETFLIX' BLACK CRAB POST APOCALYPTIC MOVIE TRAILER SENDS NOOMI RAPACE, JAKOB OFTEBRO TO FROZEN ARCHIPELAGO

   HALO SF TV SERIES   

LANDS CHARACTER POSTERS

Halo will launch March 24th this Spring

There is a number of big epic series arriving this year, and among them is Paramount + TV series adaptation of famous HALO video game which has just got a set of character posters after we got the new trailer and a launch date from March 24th a few weeks ago! Pablo Schreiber leads the cast as Master Chief, the Spartan in the middle of an epic 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as The Covenant, who happens to be humanity’s best weapon against the invading alien race, as he was enhanced an trained for one purpose: to win this war. At least that is what Natascha McElhone’s Dr. Halsey says in the trailer. The cast also includes Jen Taylor as Cortana, Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Kalu, Kate Kennedy, a rather unrecognisable Charlie Murphy, Danny Sapani, alongside Ryan McParland, Burn Gorman and Fiona O’Shaughnessy. Watch below the trailer which opens to the brilliant and haunting new sf version of In the Air Tonight by Phill Collins. The series was created by Steven Kane and Kyle Killen and shot over in Hungary. It was originally set over at Showtime before it moved to Paramount Plus streamer. Jonathan Liebesman who helmed Shanara Chronicles and Otto Bathurst who is also helming Billy the Kid series over at Epix are directing the episodes.

 

 

  BLACK CRAB TRAILER  

FOR NETFLIX SF MOVIE

The mission starts March 18th at Netflix

Speaking of sf genre, check out the first trailer and poster for post apocalyptic sf movie BLACK CRAB which lands at Netflix March 18th coming from Sweden and starring Scandinavian stars Noomi Rapace and Jakob Oftebro and directed by Adam Berg who also worked on the scenario for the movie.  Set in a post apocalyptic world, this Swedish action thriller follows six soldiers sent on a covert mission to transport a mysterious package across a frozen archipelago without knowing what dangers lie ahead or who - if anyone - they can trust.But for speed skater turned soldier Caroline Edh, the mission is about something else entirely as she needs to save her daughter as well.

 

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON STUNNING 15TH CENTURY EPIC MOVIE MARGRETE: QUEEN OF THE NORTH WITH TRINE DYRHOLM, JAKOB OFTEBRO, MORTEN HEE ANDERSEN!

  MARGRETE QUEEN OF NORTH  

BRINGING SPLENDOR THIS FALL

The movie premiered this month in Denmark

Similarly to the situation on the small screens where we cannot really expect a lot of new costume drama till the end of the year, there won't be many period set films either gracing the cinemas around the world: there are only the two embarrassingly miscast flicks The Last Duel with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jodi Comer and always terrible Adam Driver, and new Cyrano with Peter Dinklage and Ben Mendelhson. And the only other two period set films are coming to cinemas around Europe in October directly from France: Eiffel, with Romain Duris (beside Pierre Deladon champs and Emma Mackey) playing the man who built the

Morten Hee Andersen (left) plays Margrete's adopted son

famous tower in Paris, and Lost Illusions, a movie adaptation of Honore de Balzac's famous novel. But also among them is MARGRETE: QUEEN OF

Trine Dyrholm takes the lead role in the epic movie

THE NORTH Danish epic movie starring Trine Dyrholm (from Erna At War) as their 15th century queen. Søren Malling, and our wildly handsome

It will spread around Europe in December

boys Morten Hee Andersen and Jakob Oftebro also star in the film which is already out in Denmark, and is moving to Sweden in December with Samuel Goldwyn Films distributing in Northern America.

  THE STORY OF THE FILM

The year is 1402. Margrete has achieved what no man has managed before. She has gathered Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a peace oriented union, which she single handedly rules through her young, adopted son, Erik. The union is beset by enemies, however, and Margrethe is therefore planning a marriage between Erik and an English

It is interesting that the film was shot in Czech republic not Denmark

princess. An alliance with England should secure the union's status as an emerging European power but a breathtaking conspiracy is under way that can tear Margrethe and all she believes in apart.

DEZZY'S HISTORY LESSON

The Kalmar union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden kept Scandinavian kingdoms joined for over a century. Margrete, the founder of that union, was

It is possible that the film will represent Denmark at the Oscars

also known as the Semiramis of North and Lady King. She died aboard her royal ship when she was trying to recover Finland for the Union as well. She

The film was directed by Charlotte Sieling who also worked on the script

was succeeded by her great nephew Eric of Pomerania as her son King Olaf II of Denmark (whom she had with her husband King Haakon VI of Norway) died before her.  

IT'S A TRAGIC VOYAGE TO AUSCHWITZ FOR JAKOB OFTEBRO IN POWERFUL NORWEGIAN HISTORICAL DRAMA BETRAYED!

   BETRAYED TRAILER FOR  

NORWEGIAN HISTORICAL DRAMA

Today I'm presenting you with a new war drama coming from Norway, which has been released this month. BETRAYED was directed by Eirik

The film premiered at Christmas in Norway

Svensson and stars our favourite of their stars Jakob Oftebro. During World War II, millions of Jews from all over Europe are deported and killed in German concentration camps. When the German troops invade Norway, the Norwegian Jews feel safe and protected. But anti Semitism knows no borders and as the war escalates in Europe, the situation changes drastically. Suddenly, their radios are taken away; their passports are stamped with a big J and one day, all the men men over the age of 15 are arrested and taken to prisons camps. Many of the women left behind are too frightened to escape and are desperately waiting for their husbands and sons to come back home.

The film is available in USA, UK and other countries

On November 26, 1942, hundreds of Jews are picked up by the police in the middle of the night and are transported to the dock in Oslo. Unknowing and frightened men, women, children, sick and old are forced on board the awaiting German cargo ship "SS DONAU". The ship leaves with 532 Norwegian Jews onboard; 302 men, 188 women and 42 children. The end station is Auschwitz. BETRAYED is based on the true story about the Braude family. An ordinary Norwegian family whose fate is sealed by the fact that they are Jews.

IT'S DRAMA AND OPULENCE IN MARGRETE: QUEEN OF THE NORTH HISTORICAL MOVIE TRAILER WITH TRINE DYRHOLM, JAKOB OFTEBRO! SVETLANA KHODCHENKOVA TO LEAD NETFLIX' 1ST RUSSIAN SERIES ANNA KARENINA

 MODERN ANNA KARENINA 

AS NETFLIX 1ST RUSSIAN SHOW

Svetlana Khodchenkova will take the lead

We are international today, starting with news from Netflix who have cast crazy gorgeous Svetlana Khodchenkova whom you have seen in Wolverine and numerous Russian blockbusters over the years, as the lead for their first Russian original series ANNA K a contemporary version of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It will be a lavish retelling of the literary classic, set in modern Russia. It centers on Anna Karenina, the wife of the soon to become governor of St. Petersburg, who enters a life changing love affair with Vronsky, the dashing heir of an aluminum empire. Their affair quickly careens out of control, threatening the delicate balance of their familial bonds and social relationships. Set between cosmopolitan Moscow, historic St. Petersburg, and Russia’s rugged countryside, the drama explores themes of passion and loyalty. Stay tuned for casting news on Vronsky! Will it be one of our favourite Russian gents? Rinal, Petrov, Markov?

 

  MARGRETE: QUEEN OF NORTH 

FIRST EPIC TRAILER IS HERE!

I was probably among the first ones to inform you about this one last winter but now we have the first trailer

Margrete will hit Scandinavia this Autumn

and poster for Danish epic movie MARGRETE: QUEEN OF THE NORTH about their famous queen who united Denmark, Norway and Sweden into one kingdom.  It is the untold story of Margrete I (Trine Dyrholm), a visionary monarch ahead of her time. The year is 1402, and Margrete I has achieved what no man has managed before. She has gathered Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a peace orientated union, which she single handedly rules through her young, adopted son, Erik. The union is beset by enemies, however, and Margrete is therefore planning a marriage between Erik and Princess Philippa of England. An alliance with England should secure the union’s status as an

Trine Dyrholm takes the lead role in the historical drama

emerging European power, but a breathtaking conspiracy is under way that could tear Margrete and all she believes in apart. Directed by Charlotte Sieling the film, also starring Norway's Jakob Oftebro, arrives this September.

LESLEY MANVILLE TO LEAD BRITBOX MYSTERY TV SERIES MAGPIE MURDERS! NORDIC WW2 DRAMA THE GREATEST CRIME TRAILER WITH JAKOB OFTEBRO!

  LESLEY MANVILLE  

TO LEAD MAGPIE MURDERS

One of the first original series for British streamer BritBox, a small screen adaptation of Anthony Horowitz' novel MAGPIE MURDERS will be

Lesley Manville will lead the new series

toplined by Lesley Manville. The six part series which will also air on PBS in America, will see her portray Susan Ryeland, an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript of author Alan Conway’s latest novel but has little idea it will change her life. It is a crime story about an ingenious novel within a novel, a mystery within a mystery. The best selling novel also won a number of book awards. Lesley Manville is also expected to be seen in MRS HARRIS GOES TO PARIS movie, a new adaptation of Paul Gallico's much loved novel about a cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls in love with an haute couture dress by Christian Dior and decides to gamble everything for the sake of this folly. Jason Isaacs, Lambert Wilson, Isabelle Hupert also star.

  THE GREATEST CRIME  

WAR EPIC FROM NORWAY

And after news from Denmark yesterday, we are now moving to Norway where Christmas saw the release of their massive war epic THE GREATEST CRIME (Den største forbrytelsen). Our fave Nordic star Jakob Oftebro leads the cast. November 26, 1942. By order of the German occupation forces,

The movie premiered this Christmas in Norway

a large scale police operation is launched throughout the country. In Oslo, more than 300 police officers, the shepherd and NS members have been called in to assist. Over 100 taxis have been requisitioned for the assignment. Jewish women, men, children and the elderly will be arrested and deported on the same day. A month earlier, the police in Oslo had arrested almost all Jewish men over the age of 15 and gathered them at the Berg internment camp outside Tønsberg. Early in the morning on November 26, they are woken up and driven away by train in cattle carts. The destination is the quay in Oslo. Jews from all over Norway have been brought and

Eirik Svensson directed the war epic

transported here. At exit 1, the German cargo ship Danube is ready to receive the human cargo. In brief glimpses, husbands and wives, fathers and children, grandfathers and grandchildren, are brutally torn apart again. Terrified and unaware of their fate, they are forced under deck on the large cargo ship. The Danube leaves Oslo with a total of 529 Norwegian Jews on board. The final destination is the Auschwitz extermination camp. This is a magnificent and dramatic film based on real events that stretch from the 1930s to the days of peace in 1945. The story of the Braude family is at the center of the action in the film. An ordinary Norwegian working class family who until these fateful days had lived their lives in safety on Grünerløkka. There they lived with their dreams for life and ambitions for the future, but had their destiny sealed by the fact that they were Jews.

MEET THE CHARACTERS OF NEW EPIC FANTASY SERIES LETTER FOR THE KING WHICH STARTS TOMORROW AT NETFLIX!

     'THE LETTER FOR THE KING'

MEET THE CHARACTERS!

The series arrives March 20th at Netflix

If you are staying at home during the corona virus outbreak, as you definitely should, don't forget that two new historical series are coming to Netflix this weekend. Beside The English Game, a new Julian Fellowes saga on the beginnings of soccer in United Kingdom, Friday, March 20th  is also bringing you new fantasy series THE LETTER FOR THE KING which will arrive to Netflix as the adaptation of a 1962 classic book from their writer Tonke Dragt. How to Train Your Dragon and Puss in Boots' Will Davies adapted the six episode series which stars Amir

Amir Wilson is Turi, a young boy who holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands

Wilson in the lead role of a young boy who holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands when he embarks on a quest to deliver a secret message, David

Gijs Blom is villainous prince Viridian, the youngest child of the King of Unawen, and the most ruthless warrior who is posing a threat to the Southern kingdom of Eviellan!

Wenham as Sir Tiuri the Valiant, Jakob Oftebro as Crown Prince Iridian, Gijs Blom as the villain prince Viridian, Jack Barton as Foldo, Jonah

Jack Barton is Foldo, a friend of Turi, eager to help the young knight save the kingdom

Less as Jussipo and Ruby Serkis as Lavinia. If you don't know what to expect, the spy is here to tell you all you need to know about the story and the

Ruby Ashborne Serkis, plays Lavinia, one of the friends whom Turi takes with him on his quest to deliver the letter to the king. She is Andy Serkis' daughter

lead characters. I hear the first reactions to the new show are relatively positive, saying the series will give you more than you hoped for.

The Story Of The New Series
is set in a fantasy world of three kingdoms, following 16 year old squire Tiuri. When he answers a desperate call for help, he finds himself on a perilous

Jonah Lees is Jussipo, comic relief and also the quirky, smart guy of the group of friends who take on the journey to deliver a letter for the King

mission that could cost him his life. He must deliver a secret letter to the King who lives across the Great Mountains. Tiuri must abandon his home, break all

Thaddea Graham is Iona, the best fighter in the group, most skilled and less privileged than the others

the rules and leave everything behind – even the knighthood he has dreamed of for so long. The future of the entire realm depends on the letter and Tiuri 

Emilie  Cocquerel plays queen Alianor in the new series

must trust no one and keep his true identity secret. Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter. Check out the trailer and tell us will you watch it tomorrow? How are you passing your time in the self carantine?