Dystopian Thriller ‘Paradis City’ Premieres on Prime Video

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Amazon’s Prime Video has announced that the worldwide premiere of its high-octane Swedish series titled “Paradis City,” an exhilarating dystopian action production, will take place on a specified date. This series is adapted from the standalone novel of the same name by Jens Lapidus, who also penned the script for “Snabba Cash.

The six-episode series, premiering March 7th only on Amazon’s Prime Video, will be previewed as works in progress at the TV Drama Vision event held in Gothenburg today, January 29th.

The show, titled “Strive Studios’ creation by Lapidus,” is being helmed by Alexander Abdallah, known for “Snabba Cash,” Julia Ragnasson, recognized from “Midsommar” and “Blinded,” and Sverrir Gudnason, famous for “Falling” and “Face to Face.” Fenar Ahmad and Alain Darborg are taking on the roles of directors.

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Strive Studios’ production by Lapidus is being led by Alexander Abdallah (“Snabba Cash”), Julia Ragnasson (“Midsommar,” “Blinded”) and Sverrir Gudnason (“Falling,” “Face to Face”). Fenar Ahmad (“Darkland”) and Alain Darborg (“Red Dot”) are the directors.

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The show, produced by Lapidus’ shingle Strive Studios, is being overseen by Alexander Abdallah (“Snabba Cash”), Julia Ragnasson (“Midsommar,” “Blinded”) and Sverrir Gudnason (“Falling,” “Face to Face”). Fenar Ahmad (“Darkland”) and Alain Darborg (“Red Dot”) are the directors.

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Under the banner of Strive Studios, a production by Lapidus, the show is being managed by Alexander Abdallah (“Snabba Cash”), Julia Ragnasson (“Midsommar,” “Blinded”) and Sverrir Gudnason (“Falling,” “Face to Face”). Fenar Ahmad (“Darkland”) and Alain Darborg (“Red Dot”) are the directors.

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The show, coming from Lapidus’ Strive Studios, is being supervised by Alexander Abdallah (“Snabba Cash”), Julia Ragnasson (“Midsommar,” “Blinded”) and Sverrir Gudnason (“Falling,” “Face to Face”). Fenar Ahmad (“Darkland”) and Alain Darborg (“Red Dot”) are the directors.

On the small screen, ‘Paradis City’ has been reimagined by head writer Björn Paqualin (known for ‘Occupied’ and ‘Thicker than Water’), along with Michaela Hamilton (‘A Class Apart’) and Oliver Dixon (‘The Lawyer’). This series unfolds in a not-too-distant future.

The division within Swedish society has escalated to unprecedented extremes, with barriers resembling prisons segregating affluent citizens from perceived dangerous and vulnerable areas, governed by unique legislation. When the Home Secretary is kidnapped at a rally in one of the largest ‘off-limit’ zones, Paradis City, special agent Fredrika (Ragnarsson) recruits Emir (Abdallah), an ex-MMA fighter confronting a life sentence, to locate the politician. If he fails, he might forfeit the opportunity to see his daughter once more.

In Lapidus’ dystopian world, it’s more like living in Hell City rather than Paradise City, he remarks. The titles of his novels may have various meanings, but this statement is undeniably ironic. This renowned Swedish author and former defense lawyer, whose “Snabba Cash” trilogy transformed into worldwide sensations in libraries and on both small and big screens, continues. The Netflix revamp, jointly created by Lapidus, has also brought Abdallah into the spotlight as a promising talent to watch.

However, what led the renowned author of crime fiction, known for his authentic portrayal of Stockholm’s criminal underbelly, to venture into the realm of science fiction instead?

Lapidus shares with EbMaster, “I relocated to Mallorca, Spain in 2017, leaving my legal career behind for a full-time focus on writing. As I followed news about Sweden from a distance, it seemed plagued by gang violence. This sparked an idea – to depict a Sweden not just geographically, but temporally distant. I began contemplating, what if this violence and criminality spiraled out of control? What would be the worst-case scenario? My worst-case scenario was a society that could no longer protect itself, leading to the construction of massive walls to segregate ‘dangerous’ individuals.

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but see the chilling resemblance between the dystopian Sweden portrayed in my work and the reality that lies just beyond the silver screen. Stockholm, in its stark division, mirrors the segregation that pervades many European cities, making the towering walls of ‘Paradis City’ an unsettlingly accurate representation of what lurks beneath the surface.

In the TV series I helped bring to life, we delve deep into the heart of society’s polarization, a question that resonates strongly with me – how do western democracies navigate this divisiveness? Are extreme measures ever justified in pursuit of an end goal? These are the thought-provoking queries I hope our viewers will ponder upon.

Niklas Wikström Nicasto, one of Strive Studios’ partners and the producer, describes the show as having a feature-film-like structure with a quick tempo. While it closely follows the original novel in terms of plot, there have been narrative adjustments made. Referencing the 1981 movie “Escape from New York” starring Kurt Russell, the creators aimed to expand the tone, style, and character development. Comparing the characters in the series to Frodo Baggins from “The Lord of the Rings,” who encounters various races like Dwarves and Elves in Middle-earth, Nicasto explains that his characters also undertake a journey. He notes that as you encounter different factions and worlds in the show, it provides a more comprehensive understanding of society.

In terms of casting, selecting Alexander Abdallah to portray the charismatic and fierce Emir seemed fitting, however, choosing the perfect actress for special agent Fredrika proved challenging over a lengthy period. “It wasn’t until three weeks before filming that Julia was cast. It was quite unexpected, but we couldn’t be happier with our decision. Both Alexander and Julia are exceptionally talented individuals of their generation,” stated Nicastro.

The series, initially acquired by Viaplay, ultimately found its home on Amazon Prime Video after the Nordic streaming service faced financial difficulties and chose to sell rights to generate additional revenue. According to the producer, “Amazon Prime joined during production. They’ve been incredibly eager from the start, and our partnership has run very smoothly.” The producer is optimistic about the brand continuing with the series, as he believes the show has a strong potential for future seasons despite the novel being a complete story.

Regarding “Paradis City,” Karin Lindström, the head of original productions at Nordic Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video, stated: “We’re constantly seeking out established, powerful intellectual properties that resonate strongly with local audiences for our scripted series. Jens Lapidus’ book caught our attention not just because of its gripping storyline, but also due to his close involvement with the production team and his shared vision with us for immersing viewers in this narrative.

In February 2024, ‘Paradis City’ was among nine original scripts purchased from Viaplay by the U.S. global streaming service, as part of their ongoing dedication to the Nordic region. As expressed by Lindström to EbMaster, their goal is to provide a variety of both local scripted and unscripted programs. This not only attracts new Prime subscribers but also keeps members coming back regularly, making the streaming service a comprehensive entertainment destination.

She mentioned that our strategy has been effective in combining global and local content to meet our objective. Regarding future plans, we aim to introduce six scripted and 14 unscripted productions by the year 2025 across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Moving forward, we are not considering a reduction in our efforts and remain dedicated to offering a compelling and captivating selection of content.

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2025-01-29 16:17