ZDF Studios of Germany has announced a partnership with the Icelandic production powerhouse ACT4 to develop the new Nordic crime thriller series ‘Big Brother‘, adapted from the award-winning novel ‘Stóri Bródir’ by Skuli Sigurdsson.
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, co-founder of ACT4, is the showrunner and executive producer for the series. He also leads the writer room for ‘Big Brother’, consisting of actress/writer Aníta Briem (‘As Long as We Live’), Anna Gunndís Guðmundsdóttir, and Teitur Magnússon. In addition to being the co-founder of ACT4, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is also known for his work as an actor, producer, and screenwriter (‘The Tourist’, ‘Severance’).
Ólafur Darri ÓlafssonAnita BriemAnna Gunndís GuðmundsdóttirTeitur Magnússon
About the series
‘Big Brother’ is a tale about revenge and justice. Every full moon a man is severely beaten by what appears to be the same perpetrator, a figure dressed in black who vanishes into the night like a ghost. The victims are carefully chosen: sexual offenders who’ve evaded punishment. A detective and an investigative journalist set out to solve the series of mysterious crimes. Meanwhile, the story is also told from the perspective of the assailant, who sees himself as an agent of justice for those who have suffered when society fails to mete out proper punishment.
“As a crime fiction, the tale of Big Brother is thrilling and brutal, a very suspenseful narrative. It rises above its genre as it poses a difficult question for our society: Someone is taking it upon himself to punish sexual offenders when our justice system fails. Gradually his actions become more brutal, and he starts killing his victims. Who do we side with, the self-proclaimed warrior of justice or the people who are trying to catch a murderer?”.
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Showrunner and Executive Producer at ACT4
Skúli Sigurdsson won the Icelandic Crime Novel Award in 2023 for Stóri Bróðir, which was also nominated for the Glass Key Award (Glassnøkkelen). In addition to being the author of this book, Sigurdsson is also a lawyer and former journalist.
Recognizing the potential of Skúli Sigurdsson’s novel, ACT4 optioned ‘Big Brother’ in 2023. The company was founded the same year by award-winning Icelandic film industry veterans Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’, ‘True Detective’, ‘The Tourist’), Hörður Rúnarsson (‘Black Sands’, ‘Fractures’, ‘Journey’), Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson (‘The Minister’ 1 & 2, ‘Stella Blómkvist’ II, ‘Thin Ice’) and Birkir Blær Ingólfsson (‘The Minister’ 1 & 2, ‘Thin Ice’).
“We are excited to partner with ACT4 on the adaptation of Skúli Sigurdsson’s brilliantly crafted novel. The characters, the storytelling from two different points of view and the heightened suspense as the plot unfolds makes for a chilling, binge-worthy drama”.
Yi Qiao, Director Drama at ZDF Studios
About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realization of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children’s programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programs and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Source/images: ZDF Studios
This post/page may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For details, visit our Affiliate Disclosure page.
ZDF Studios of Germany has announced a partnership with the Icelandic production powerhouse ACT4 to develop the new Nordic crime thriller series ‘Big Brother‘, adapted from the award-winning novel ‘Stóri Bródir’ by Skuli Sigurdsson.
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, co-founder of ACT4, is the showrunner and executive producer for the series. He also leads the writer room for ‘Big Brother’, consisting of actress/writer Aníta Briem (‘As Long as We Live’), Anna Gunndís Guðmundsdóttir, and Teitur Magnússon. In addition to being the co-founder of ACT4, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is also known for his work as an actor, producer, and screenwriter (‘The Tourist’, ‘Severance’).
About the series
‘Big Brother’ is a tale about revenge and justice. Every full moon a man is severely beaten by what appears to be the same perpetrator, a figure dressed in black who vanishes into the night like a ghost. The victims are carefully chosen: sexual offenders who’ve evaded punishment. A detective and an investigative journalist set out to solve the series of mysterious crimes. Meanwhile, the story is also told from the perspective of the assailant, who sees himself as an agent of justice for those who have suffered when society fails to mete out proper punishment.
Skúli Sigurdsson won the Icelandic Crime Novel Award in 2023 for Stóri Bróðir, which was also nominated for the Glass Key Award (Glassnøkkelen). In addition to being the author of this book, Sigurdsson is also a lawyer and former journalist.
Recognizing the potential of Skúli Sigurdsson’s novel, ACT4 optioned ‘Big Brother’ in 2023. The company was founded the same year by award-winning Icelandic film industry veterans Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’, ‘True Detective’, ‘The Tourist’), Hörður Rúnarsson (‘Black Sands’, ‘Fractures’, ‘Journey’), Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson (‘The Minister’ 1 & 2, ‘Stella Blómkvist’ II, ‘Thin Ice’) and Birkir Blær Ingólfsson (‘The Minister’ 1 & 2, ‘Thin Ice’).
About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realization of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children’s programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programs and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Source/images: ZDF Studios
This post/page may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For details, visit our Affiliate Disclosure page.
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