Netflix makes it Rain as Danish drama nears

Production has begun on streaming service Netflix’s first Scandinavian original, a dystopian drama.

The Rain has gone into production in Denmark, with FremantleMedia-owned Miso Film attached as producer.

Set six years in the future, follows two siblings who join a group of young survivors of a brutal virus that has wiped out almost all of Scandinavia’s population.

Netflix’s first move into exclusive programming came in 2011 through Lilyhammer, which was originally for Norwegian pubcaster NRK. However, this was effectively an acquisition, while The Rain is part of Netflix’s original production drive.

The Rain comes from Scandinavian screenwriter Jannik Tai Moshol (Borgen, Follow the Money), Esben Toft Jacobsen (The Great Bear) and Christian Potalivo (The New Tenants).

Tai Moshol is writer and showrunner, with Potalivo also doing the latter. Miso’s Jonas Allen and Peter Bose are executive producers.

The show will debut in all Netflix territories in 2018, with Mikkel Boe Følsggard (A Royal Affair), Alba August (Below The Surface), Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen (Tidsrejsen) and Lars Simonsen (The Bridge, Brotherhood) making up the core cast.

“Scandinavia is known around the world for intriguing storytelling and captivating TV,” said Netflix’s VP of international original series, Erik Barmack. “We are excited to be working with such fine local actors, writers and directors to bring a big, fresh premise to a global audience.”

Netflix ordered the series last year.