Netflix Orders ‘Young Wallander’ and New Series Set During French Revolution
By Stewart Clarke
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The adventures of “Young Wallander” are coming to Netflix. The streaming giant has ordered a U.K.-Swedish series based on the early life of Henning Mankell’s popular police inspector, who has already been already depicted on the small screen in the BBC “” series with Kenneth Branagh and a Swedish version with Krister Henriksson.
has also ordered a new French original set during the French Revolution. The as-yet-untitled drama will follow Joseph Guillotin, the future inventor of the guillotine, who investigates a series of mysterious murders and discovers an unknown virus.
“Young Wallander” will see the titular detective tackling his first-ever case. Netflix’s VP of originals, Erik Barmack, announced the project Wednesday at C21’s Content London event.
“We’re looking at Wallander when he was in his early 20s, before he became so jaded,” he said, noting that Mankell’s books had sold 50 million copies around the world in multiple languages. “When we talked to Berna [Levin] at Yellow Bird and saw the opportunity to work on a project like this, we got really excited.”
Production starts on the serialized six-parter, which will be in English, in 2019.
Levin, creative director at Banijay-owned Yellow Bird U.K., said that “getting to meet Wallander as a young man and explore how the times and his new experiences will shape him to eventually become the man we already know and love is a thrilling opportunity. We are confident he will captivate new audiences and delight longstanding fans once again with his sharp intelligence, youthful enthusiasm and unmistakable humanity.”
Barmack also teased the new drama set during the French Revolution. The new series begins in 1787, two years before the revolution erupts. After Guillotin discovers the unknown virus, dubbed Blue Blood, the disease quickly spreads among the French aristocracy, driving them to murder ordinary people, and soon leads to a rebellion.
The series was created by French novelist Aurélien Molas, who co-wrote the eight episodes with Gaia Guasti. The series is being produced by John Doe Productions for Netflix.
“When we discussed the idea of revisiting France’s history through an epic and truly breathtaking series, the first question we had to ask ourselves was: Who would support us? Short answer – only Netflix for such a revolution!” said Molas and François Lardenois, the creator and producers of the series.
In a statement, Barmack described Molas as “a very talented and innovative creator whom we are thrilled to be working with on our next French original series.” The series is due to start production in 2019.
Netflix recently announced the launch of a fully staffed office in Paris and seven new French original series. Its slate of upcoming French shows include “Osmosis,” a romantic science-fiction series.
