Pictured: The Keeper of Lost Causes: Department Q 1 by Jussi Adler-Olsen and Scott Frank (Getty Images)
Among the upcoming projects ordered from the United Kingdom, Netflix has acquired the rights to adapt the Danish novel series Department Q, which it plans to turn into a series adaptation. Here’s what we know so far.
The series adaptation of Department Q has been in development since at least 2014 when the US TV right to adapt the series was sold to Scott Frank, who is the lead creator of this series. In 2020, it was reported that Department Q would be produced by Sony-owned Left Bank Pictures. Now, it’s revealed that Department Q is now in active development and attached to release at Netflix.
Frank is best known for his work on two prior Netflix Original projects, Godless, and The Queen’s Gambit. He’s also currently working on Monsieur Spade for AMC.
Pictured: Scott Frank
Left Bank Pictures are behind many Netflix Original projects, including The Crown, White Lines, and Behind Her Eyes. Upcoming projects include Palomino and The Fuck It Bucket.
The scripts for the series were written by Chandni Lakhani (Black Mirror, Vigil).
The news of the sequel being ordered came alongside the announcements of two other new UK productions (alongside a string of other news from UK Netflix Originals throughout the week).
The other two new projects are a sequel to Bank of Dave and Black Doves. It’s all part of a continued commitment from Netflix in the United Kindom, who revealed that they’ve spent $6bn in the British creative economy since 2020 and now intend to continue that investment by spending almost $1.5bn USD a year across its series and movies slate from the region.
What’s the plot of Department Q?
Netflix’s Department Q is an adaptation of author Jussi Adler-Olsen‘s noir-thriller book series of the same name. Here’s the synopsis for the first book in the Department Q series, The Keeper of Lost Causes:
Carl Mørck used to be one of Copenhagen’s best homicide detectives. Then a hail of bullets destroyed the lives of two fellow cops, and Carl—who didn’t draw his weapon—blames himself. So a promotion is the last thing he expects. But Department Q is a department of one, and Carl’s got only a stack of Copenhagen’s coldest cases for company. His colleagues snicker, but Carl may have the last laugh, because one file keeps nagging at him: a liberal politician vanished five years earlier and is presumed dead.
But she isn’t dead … yet.
The book was published in 2007 and, judging by the official Netflix logline, will be the source material behind the first season.
Here’s that brief logline from Netflix itself:
“The series centers around Carl, a former top-rated detective in Edinburgh assigned to a new cold case whilst wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralysed and another policeman dead.”
The book series has already been adapted into a film series in Denmark.
Who is cast in Department Q?
As of April 2023, no cast members have been announced for Netflix’s Department Q. As the development goes on, we expect to hear news regarding the casting in the coming months.
How many episodes will Department Q have?
It’s unclear how many episodes Department Q will feature, but we’d predict between 8 to 10 as is the usual Netflix number.
What’s the production status of Department Q?
As of April 2023, Netflix’s Department Q series is in early development, with the scripts being written as we speak. There is no word yet regarding any filming start.
What’s the Netflix release date for Department Q?
As the series is still in the very early stages of development, it’s too early to speak of any release dates, but we could perhaps estimate sometime between 2024 and 2025.
