ZDF Enterprises has snapped up international distribution rights, excluding North America, to new crime thriller series “Before We Die.”
Produced by Eagle Eye Drama for Channel 4, the six-episode series is a remake of the eponymous noir show from Sweden. The U.K. version stars Lesley Sharp (“Scott & Bailey”) Patrick Gibson (“The Tudors,” “The OA”) and Vincent Regan (“Troy,” “Poldark”).
As in the original, the series follows a detective from an organized crime unit who finds out that her estranged son is an undercover informant in a murder case involving eastern European drug rings.
Belgian director Jan Matthys (“Baptiste,” “The Last Kingdom”) will direct the series adapted and written by Matt Baker. Eagle Eye Drama, the company behind drama label Walter Presents, has slated principal photography for England and Belgium, with delivery expected by Spring next year.
Robert Franke, vice president ZDFE.drama at ZDF Enterprises, said: “The team behind Walter Presents has superb judgement when it comes to selecting international dramas for their platform and ‘Before We Die’ is no exception; a brilliant thriller that will keep audiences in suspense.”
“The original Swedish ‘Before We Die’ is one of my favorite thrillers in the Walter Presents collection and having the opportunity to re-imagine such a wonderful story is an absolute honor and a pleasure,” said Walter Iuzzolino, CEO of Eagle Eye Drama.
ZDF Enterprises also distributes the original Swedish version which was sold to Google, iTunes, Amazon, NPO (Netherlands), Australia’s SBS, VRT (Belgium), Okko (Russia) and Germany’s ZDF and ProSiebenSat.1, among others.
“Before We Die” is produced by Eagle Eye Drama in association with Caviar, and is supported by Screen Flanders and the Belgian tax shelter via Caviar Film Financing. Executive producers are Jo McGrath, Walter Iuzzolino and Bert Hamelinck.
The original “Before We Die” is considered one of the best Nordic Noir shows to come out of Sweden, along with such titles as “The Bridge” “Wallander,” “Alex,” “Arne Dahl” and “Beck.” “The Bridge” spawned multiple spin-offs, including in the U.S. where it ran for two seasons on FX with Demian Bichir and Diane Kruger leading the cast.