Amazon gives new Nordic home to nine Viaplay dramas, orders Coben & Brocklehurst thriller

Jana – Marked For Life (Source: Amazon Prime Video)

Amazon streamer Prime Video in the Nordics has acquired nine series originally destined for regional SVOD Viaplay, including season two of Monster Scripted’s Norwegian political thriller Furia and season four of Miso Films’ Danish crime drama Those Who Kill.

Other titles now launching on Prime Video on 19 April for Nordic subscribers as part of the Viaplay deal include the Swedish thriller Jana – Marked For Life, from FLX, Wildsheep and Reaz, based on the book by Emelie Schepp; Danish drama Bullshit, from Nordisk Film Creative Alliance, set in 1980s biker subculture in Copenhagen; and Norwegian shows The Commoner and In The Name Of Love, both from Paradox Rettigheter.

Prime Video Nordics has also picked up Norwegian titles Solo/Dancing Alone (working title) from Rubicon, and The Fortress from Maipo, as well as Swedish series Paradis City from Stive Stories. The deal further includes library titles such as Couple Trouble, Furia season one, Hammarvik, Honour and Occupied.

“This landmark deal with Viaplay aligns with our long-term strategy to invest in Prime Video Nordics, solidifying it as a premier entertainment destination,” said Martin Backlund, MD of Prime Video Nordics. “Combined with our Nordisk Film partnership, where we’re delivering the finest Nordic movies, we are now reinforcing our ongoing commitment to local content in the region.”

The deal with Amazon follows a similar move by embattled Nordic streamer Viaplay, after Netflix picked up the home turf rights to its highly anticipated original commission Ronja, The Robbers Daughter, late last year.

Sam Claflin (Source: Amazon/Tomo Brejc)

Twisting thriller collaboration

In related news, Prime Video has ordered limited series Lazarus (working title), a psychological mystery thriller from Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst, which will stream worldwide.

Produced by Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions and Amazon MGM Studios in association with Final Twist Productions, Lazarus follows a man who returns home after his father’s suicide and begins to have disturbing experiences that can’t be explained. He quickly becomes entangled in a series of cold-case murders as he grapples with the mystery of his father’s death and his sister’s murder 25 years ago. The cast includes Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy and Alexandra Roach.

Coben and Brocklehurst will serve as writers and executive producers, alongside Shindler and Richard Fee for Quay Street, and Claflin. Wayne Che Yip will be directing episodes one and two and will also serve as executive producer. Matt Strevens will produce.

“Lazarus is a psychological thriller with an emotional spine. It’s about fathers and sons, love and loss. We have attempted to bring our trademark wit and warmth as well as twists galore,” said Brocklehurst. “This is the first collaboration the team at Quay Street, Harlan and myself have done with Amazon and we are delighted to be partnering with them.”