Icelandic Political Drama ‘The Minister’ Greenlit For Season Two
Icelandic political drama The Minister has been greenlit for a second season and acquired by Viaplay in the UK and Germany. The show, which is commissioned by Iceland’s RUV and four Nordic networks, stars Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) as Benedikt Ríkharðsson, the Icelandic Prime Minister whose medical condition threatens the stability of the government and the private lives of the team around him. After the dramatic finale of Season 1, in which he publicly reveals his bipolar disorder to the entire nation, Benedikt is back and this time he wants to change the country’s approach to mental health. Anita Briem (Salt and Fire) reprises her role in Season 2 as Steinunn, the woman behind husband Benedikt’s success and his political career. Cineflix Rights struck the deal with Viaplay for Season 2, having sold Season 1 across Europe and APAC.
‘Yop’: Swedish Producer David Jassy’s Story Made Into Limited Series
The true story of Swedish artist and music producer David Jassy, who was given a life sentence for second degree murder and spent the subsequent years struggling to survive in LA County Jail, is to be retold in a limited series from Nordic drama indie Nevis Productions. At 34, Jassy got in an altercation with a person at a crosswalk in LA, resulting in the death of the man and Jassy heading to jail. The project is being developed in collaboration with Jassy and is set to a hip-hop soundtrack. The eight-parter is being unveiled at this week’s Series Mania in Lille. “I want people to be inspired by my story,” said Jassy. “No matter how dark it gets, you can pull through and work through the hard times with positive thinking.”
Sky Italy Supernatural Series ‘Christian’ Sells Across Europe & North America
Sky Atlantic Italy’s Christian has sold to networks across Europe and North America. As season two prepares to launch this week, distributor Newen Connect has struck deals for both the current and previous series with the likes of Sky in the UK, Sky Deutschland Germany and Topic in North America. The first season of the supernatural crime series increased audience share by 20% in its Friday night slot, according to Newen Connect. The first series follows the fate of the eponymous hero Christian (Edoardo Pesce), the henchman of local crime boss Lino (Giordano de Plano), who suddenly discovers he has gained mysterious healing powers. Newen SVP Distribution Nadia Chevallard called it “an unmissable series, that is both tragic and ironic.”
