NENT Group’s Viaplay orders UK thriller ‘Red Election’, as producer Mopar’s English-language push continues

Sweden’s Mopar Studios is producing Red Election, a new UK-set suspense drama for Nordic Entertainment (NENT) Group’s Viaplay streaming service.

The 10-part series, which will debut on the streamer later this year, is being distributed globally by A+E Networks International. It was created by Mopar’s William Diskay and Jonas Fors together with Ola Norén, Roland Ulvselius and lead writer Stephen Brady (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man).

Jill Robertson (Harlots) and Paul Murphy (Death In Paradise) will direct, with Robertson also exec producing along with Moreyba Bidessie for A+E Networks. Mopar’s Veronika Eriksson and Christian Alveborg (The Last Journey Of The Vikings) will produce.

The commission follows Rig 45 producer Mopar’s recent hire of UK scriptwriters Roland Moore and Brendan Foley, as well as January’s appointment of Jessica Pope as its creative director of drama, as part of an English-language push to broaden the appeal of its drama brand to a wider European and global audience.

Red Election tells the story of a terrorist plot unfolding in London, with Danish secret service agent Katrine (Victoria Carmen Sonne) and British intelligence agent Beatrice (Lydia Leonard) pitched together in a desperate race against time. Caught in a web of lies, murder and power struggles, the two soon realise they can’t trust anybody.

The Nordic and international cast also features Game Of Thrones‘ Stephen Dillane, Gentleman Jack‘s Lydia Leonard and Broadchurch‘s James D’Arcy.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher in this tense and absorbing story of international intrigue with a truly stellar cast,” said Filippa Wallestam, NENT Group chief content officer.

“At the same time, the complex relationship between the two lead characters gives the series a very human centre. Red Election is NENT Group’s latest spectacular international co-production that shows how quickly our storytelling is moving to the global stage.”

Red Election is part of NENT Group’s plans to premiere at least 40 original productions in 2021, with the recently announced Hilma, joining other upcoming projects such as Billy The Kid, Who Shot Otto Mueller? and Sisterhood.