MHz Choice Banijay Finland, the company behind the popular US show “The Hanko Murder” and the popular procedural “Maria Kaillo,” is expanding its script lineup with the addition of the drag queen masterpiece “Queen Heist,” which Finland’s pioneering pub broadcaster Ale has ordered as an eight-part half-hour show, and the late-life romance special “The Good Widow,” which is currently in development.
Both new titles are themed around real-world issues – self-discovery in The Queen Robbery, intergenerational relationships in The Good Widow – but also have the same great entertainment value we already saw in The Stamp Murder Case. This is a light crime noir that interweaves murder and father-daughter relationships, set in the picturesque coastal town of Hanko in sunny Finland.
Billed as a “fast-paced comedy,” “Queen Heist” was created by Finnish musician, TV host and drag artist Crystal Snow, directed by his brother Vivi Houska (ToosaTV), produced by Max Malka, creator of Finland’s first Netflix series “Dance Brothers,” and produced by Banijay Finland, where she serves as creative director. It was scripted.
In it, brothers Aapo and Etu lose their jobs at a sausage factory in a small town. It was a fortunate event for them. They stumble into a life of drug-fueled criminal activity and reconnect with childhood friends. Banijay describes it as “an amateur thief in amateur drag on an unexpected journey of self-discovery.”
“Queen Heist” was developed at Banijay Bootcamp, led by Steve Matthews, Banijay’s Head of Scriptwriting and Creative.
Good Widow is Josefina Lautainen’s latest film, and her debut film How to Shout established Lautainen as a talent to watch, earning her two industry nominations.
The rom-com Good Widow combines what Banijay calls “a liberating, unconventional take on love and desire in her later years” with “sharp humor and intergenerational chemistry.” Mirja, a 72-year-old widow, defies the expectations of her family and community and ends up in an unexpected relationship with a much younger man she met online. The producer is Minna Vilkajärvi, who achieved great results with the detective drama “Loba”, which ran for six seasons from 2012, and the miniseries “M/S Romantic” (2019), which won Finland’s Kurtainen Venla Award four times.
Josefina Rautiainen, Minna Vilkajärvi
Maisie Malden
“We are ambitiously building a scripted portfolio defined by bold and creative projects, and these two original stories highlight how unique Finland can be,” Malka said.
He added: “With ‘Queen Heist,’ Krystal delivers the fun romp that Ale commissioned after being creatively enhanced at Banijay Bootcamp. Meanwhile, Minna crafts ‘Good Widow’ into a surprisingly funny comedy about making your own choices in life and romance. Both titles have a confidence and penetrating energy that has the potential to captivate Finnish and international audiences.”
Banijay Entertainment’s Nordic productions include “Fallen,” starring Sofia Helin of “The Bridge,” and “My Brother,” a nominee for the Nordic Written Series Award, announced on January 27th, and The Guardian newspaper “Similar to “Succession.” “Billionaire Island,” which was highly acclaimed for its role as a salmon farmer, “Still Breathing,” a medical drama from the makers of “Occupied” and “Beforeners,” and the highly anticipated medical drama “Still Breathing.” A reboot of “Wallander” and “Diary of an Abandoned Girl” starring Carla Saen (“Love & Anarchy”).
Banijay Bootcamp is a creative program for scripted talent that fosters collaborative storytelling by pairing in-house development staff with dynamic resident writers.
“What I try to do is keep the label as local as possible, but if I see a project that we believe has a real chance of being a hit internationally, I’m going to bring some weight to that project,” Matthews told Variety at 2025’s Series Mania, an article that delves into the nuances, latest wrinkles and contradictions of local and international TV production.
