As the Swedish show Summer of 1985, based on the novel by Jon Ivide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In, Border), garners attention in the Cannes competition, the show’s producer Media Res International is considering the possibility of a sequel.
Series producer Anna-Clara Carsten said the international division of American studio Media Res has signed the first option on Lindqvist’s follow-up, “Sommaren 1986-Lovisa och Melinda,” which will be published in Sweden on August 17.
Both IPs deal with friendship and courage through the stories of young characters whose lives are shaken up by unexpected events during a seemingly peaceful summer vacation in the Stockholm Islands.
“The Summer of 1985,” or “The Summer of Live Aid,” as Lindqvist highlights on his website https://www.johnajvidelindqvist.com/book.php?id=35, follows seven teenage boys and girls. When a local boy and a mermaid are found drowned on the mysterious island of Svartan, “they are thrust into a dangerous world where both their friendship and survival are at stake,” the logline says.
Meanwhile, in “Summer of 1986,” or “Summer of Chernobyl,” according to Lindqvist, the plot focuses on two young female characters, Lovisa and Melinda.
“For Media Res International, securing first choice on ‘Summer 1986’ presents an exciting opportunity to stay ahead of the curve with a story that organically expands on a world that audiences have already identified with,” Banner said in a statement.
“The novel incorporates Lindqvist’s signature blend of the mundane and the macabre, and by shifting the focus to the younger siblings, set against the backdrop of a year that marked important events in Swedish history, from the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme to the aftermath of Chernobyl, it provides a new entry point that could meaningfully extend the lifespan of the series.”
“I’m actually in the middle of reading a book right now!” Carsten sat down via video call with Summer 1985 concept director Björn Stein and head writer/co-director Amy Diasimont ahead of the film’s world premiere in Cannes on April 27, and the trio confirmed the making of the series to Variety.
Summer 1985, Rolf Lassgard and Linus Rogsgard. Credit: Johan Paulin / SVT
fifth season
Summer of 1985, commissioned by Swedish pubcaster SVT and co-produced by ZDF Neo and Film Stockholm, is being rebroadcast internationally by Fifth Season. The six-part coming-of-age thriller with magical elements marks the first Swedish series produced by Media Res, the international production arm of The Morning Show and Scenes from a Marriage.
The path from book to film began in spring 2023, when Lindqvist’s literary agent offered the novel to Media Res’ international head Lars Blomgren, who submitted it to Carsten a few months later. The latter, whose credits include Netflix’s feelgood “Tore” and Viaplay YA’s drama “Thunder in My Heart,” was immediately drawn to the project.
“I’ve written a lot of youth fiction, but this one was in the thriller-mystery genre, which is familiar territory but completely new. It literally has mermaids and corpses!”
Carsten, who officially joined Media Res’ Stockholm location in 2025 as part of Media Res’ international push, felt that ‘Summer of 1985’ is an IP with deep roots in Sweden, perfect for attracting a large audience around the world. The film combined the Lindqvist brand name (attached to previous successful film adaptations “Let the Right One In,” “Border” and “Handling the Undead”), a catchy sense of nostalgia, 1980s music, and the picturesque scenery of the Stockholm archipelago.
Head writer Diasimont, who had worked with Carsten on Thunder in My Heart, was matched with up-and-coming screenwriter and Columbia University graduate Melina Malachi.
“We had two writers who were born in the 1990s, and after 1985, when the story was set, we started thinking about who could be the director over 50,” Karsten quips. “Lars[Blomgren]has had a long-standing relationship with Björn and worked on several projects, including ‘The Bridge’. We felt that the pairing with him was perfect.”
Deasimont said she fell in love with the characters and felt nostalgic, reminding her of her own summers with friends. “When we have time, we might grow up together and share the dark side of adulthood.”
A big fan of Lindqvist, she was surprised by his generosity and generosity in sharing his literary materials with her and Malachi. “When we went to his house, we thought we would get some answers, especially regarding the interpretation of mermaids, and he was like, oh, I’ll leave that to you. That started our creativity,” says Diasimont.
Stein said Blomgren approached him when he was “going in a completely different direction and was busy developing two series and a movie.” However, he was immediately attracted to the quality of the existing script and the chance to dive into Lindqvist’s world. “At the same time, I literally ran into Tomas Alfredson and Dino Jonzetter (director and editor of Let the Right One In, respectively) and I said, ‘You guys are setting the bar pretty high. It’s going to be difficult to meet that, but I accepted the challenge.'”
While Lindqvist’s literary work provided the backbone of the storyline, the film’s references included Rob Reiner’s classic coming-of-age film “Stand by Me” “for its warm portrayal of friendship” and the HBO show “Sharp Objects” for its exploration of memory, Diasimont says.
After a difficult casting process involving 1,300 children, the role of teenage protagonist Johannes went to newcomer Linus Logsgard. “He was one of the few who didn’t stick to his lines,” Diasimont said, adding, “It was fun watching a group of amateur kids blossom as actors.”
Among the veteran actors, Rolf Lasgard was a natural choice to play one of the boys’ grandfathers. “He’s Sweden’s biggest actor and we had a great relationship on Whiskey on the Rocks. It was fun to continue that collaboration,” Stein says.
mermaid look
For one of the biggest visual challenges, the mermaids, the team chose practical effects over CGI effects, not only for budget reasons, but also to allow for a more realistic scene.
Stein said most of the shots were shot with an actor/dancer (Rebecca Labbe) in a wetsuit, and that Media Res International hired VFX geek and makeup artist Goran Lundström from EffekStudion. “The two-time Oscar-nominated film (‘Borders’, ‘House of Gucci’) created the antithesis of Disney’s gentle Ariel – a terrifying creature who was ‘more fish than man and had six breasts’, but that wasn’t our idea,” Stein quips.
For the director, Lindqvist’s mermaids embody “the fluid feelings of growth that are experienced differently by children, the expression of their subconscious.”
“She represents the loss of innocence,” Diasimont added. “She can be as dangerous as the journey to adulthood that children in the midst of adolescence go through.”
Filming in the Stockholm archipelago began on May 20, 2025 and lasted approximately 70 days, with a five-week hiatus in July due to an influx of tourists.
On the production side, SVT’s efforts were typical of “building trust and attracting talent and financial partners, including German broadcaster ZDF,” Carsten said.
Following the launch of the Cannes series, the show will arrive on SVT Play in July.
Anna-Clara Carsten, Amy Diasimont, Bjorn Stein. Credit: Nordic Tales
