Yellow Bird U.K. Developing ‘Spotify Untold’ Limited Series

By Robert Mitchell

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Yellow Bird U.K. has optioned the screen rights to tell-all book “Spotify Untold” with plans to develop it into a limited series for television. Sven Carlsson and Jonas Leijonhufvud’s novel details the story behind the Swedish start-up which became one of the world’s leading music services and its attempts to take on U.S. giants including Apple.

Spotify’s turbulent journey into the U.S. will be central to the drama of the show. U.K. CCO Berna Levin will serve as executive producer on the series with Luke Franklin producing. Carlsson and Leijonhufvud will serve as consultants.

“The rise of Spotify is one of the greatest stories to come out of Sweden in the past ten years,” said Leijonhufvud (pictured, left, with Carlsson). “It’s a saga of a young founder who came out of nowhere and beat Apple at their own game.”

Launched in 2018, Yellow Bird U.K. is the British arm of the Banijay-owned Scandinavian banner Yellow Bird Sweden, which produced hit shows including “Wallander” and “Millennium.”

Levin called the tale “a modern-day David vs. Goliath.” “This is the true story of youth challenging the establishment,” said Levin. “With reality trumping fiction at every turn, we will explore one of the greatest and most surprising technological advancements of our time.”

“Spotify Untold” was published by Albert Bonniers Förlag. The rights were acquired from Eleonoora Kirk at Bonnier Rights. Variety interviewed Carlsson and Leijonhufvud  about the book in July.