One of Scandinavia’s most ambitious and anticipated TV drama series, Fremantle’s historical blockbuster Royal Blood from Scandinavian giant Myso Films has secured a production deal from the Scandi Alliance of TV2 Norway, TV4 Sweden and TV2 Denmark.
The Scandinavian Alliance has confirmed that the six-part series has a budget of 15 million euros ($17.8 million). This is certainly a very large amount for Scandinavia. Fremantle will handle international distribution. The series is scheduled to begin filming in early 2027.
Norway’s Erik Richter Strand, who has extensive experience directing episodes of high-end dramas such as The Crown, ITV Studios’ I Fought The Law and TV2’s Occupied, will direct the premium miniseries.
The production green light and Richter Strand’s appearance were announced on January 27 by Alice Sommer, head of drama at Norwegian TV2, at the TV Drama Vision Conference at the Gothenburg Film Festival, marking the start of a new phase of international financing.
Originally announced a year ago on TV Drama Vision as the Scandi Alliance’s first collaborative drama bet, chosen from 75 Scandinavian submissions, Royal Blood was in early development at the time and set up at Miss Film Norway, part of Miso Film.
In it, “Royal Blood” depicts the dramatic power struggle between the Scandinavian royal families from 1807 to 1814, as Napoleon of France challenges the other great powers of Europe. “A small group of ambitious people in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden must navigate greed, loyalty, identity, and ambition in a world where every personal choice affects the nation,” the synopsis continues.
“Royal Blood” was created by Nanna West (“The Legacy,” “Cry Wolf”), Richter Strand, Monica Boracco (“Mars & Venus”) and Katarina Lowning (“Battle”). West and Richter Strand will serve as head writers.
The series is produced by Kristin Ulseth and Vegard Stenberg Eriksen for Miso Film Norway for TV2 Norway, TV4 Sweden and TV2 Denmark in close cooperation with Miso Film Denmark and Miso Film Wednesday. Peter Boes, Jonas Allen, Christian Rank, Ale Heidenström and Richter Strand will serve as executive producers.
“‘Royal Blood’ is a truly epic project that explores how power, loyalty and personal ambition collide at a pivotal moment in Scandinavian history,” Sommer said. “This is a story that belongs to all of us, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ‘Royal Blood’ captures a defining moment when the destinies of our nations were intertwined in ways that shaped who we are today.”
He added: “We are extremely proud to support this ambitious production as the Scandi Arabian Union’s first flagship series. With Eric Richter Strand at the helm and Mytho Film’s proven track record in premium drama, we are confident that this series will resonate with modern audiences and set a new benchmark for Nordic historical drama.”
Founded by Danish production duo Jonas Allen and Peter Boes, Mytho’s track record in premium drama is built on series such as Tobias Lindholm’s The Investigation, Netflix’s first Danish original series The Rain, Christopher Boe’s seminal The Warrior, and 1864, a shocking fiction indictment of Denmark’s ruling elite.
“‘Royal Blood’ is about how power really works, how alliances are made and broken, and how the fate of entire nations depends on very human choices. At its core, it’s driven by fear, pride, vulnerability and courage, and how even small decisions can have big consequences,” said Kristin Ulseth, producer at Mytho Films.
He added: “Despite being set in the past, the story feels incredibly present, making it both a fascinating drama and an unsettling mirror of our times. With the addition of Eric Richter Strand, and especially his experience on The Crown, we are confident that Royal Blood will be cinematic and deeply relatable, with cinematic scale and intimacy.”
