Jan Stenbeck: Swedish Mogul’s Wild Life Story Just Sold!

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The drama titled “Vanguard,” which revolves around Swedish tycoon Jan Stenbeck, has been acquired by TG4 (Ireland), ERR (Estonia), Viaplay SVOD on Amazon Prime (U.S., U.K., Poland), Viaplay Select on Cindie (LatAm), Prima+ (Czech Republic), and Vodafone (Greece). According to our exclusive findings, EbMaster.

The series “Vanguard,” focusing on Swedish businessman Jan Stenbeck, has been bought by various networks including TG4 (Ireland), ERR (Estonia), Viaplay on Amazon Prime (U.S., U.K., Poland), Viaplay Select on Cindie (LatAm), Prima+ (Czech Republic), and Vodafone (Greece). We at EbMaster have learned about this deal exclusively.

Lejla Bešic, a member of FLX’s team, has created a five-part series that is set to debut at the Monte Carlo TV Festival. This project was developed in partnership between SVT and the N8 alliance, with the international distribution being managed by Viaplay Content Distribution.

The narrative unfolds, drawing inspiration from Per Andersson’s book “Stenbeck: A Biography of a Successful Businessman.” It begins by introducing Stenbeck, portrayed by Jakob Oftebro (recognized for his roles in “Black Crab” and “Hamilton”), as he steps back into the family he has long shunned.

The story is inspired by Per Andersson’s book “Stenbeck: A Biography of a Successful Businessman.” It starts off with the character Stenbeck, played by Jakob Oftebro (known for his work in “Black Crab” and “Hamilton”), making his way back into the family he had previously distanced himself from.

Both sentences convey the same meaning, but the second one might be considered slightly more concise.

Similarly to Michael Corleone, Director Goran Kapetanovic shared a laugh as he expressed his intention of paying tribute to ‘The Godfather.’

Despite being content in New York, dating an American high society figure, life takes a turn for him as misfortune befalls not once but twice. In the midst of this, he must step up to manage his family’s industrial conglomerate.

The king is dead. Long live the king. 

The prince was residing in the United States when the king requested him to return to Sweden. However, instead of complying, he decided to paint the entire castle pink,” Kapetanović stated. Later on, Stenbeck defied the norms by breaking Sweden’s monopoly on telephones and introducing Scandinavia’s first commercial television channel, TV3.

He led a life as a compulsive gambler, eventually developing addictions to food and alcohol which ultimately led to his self-destruction. It’s heartbreaking to see such a once formidable man struggle with various issues while neglecting his family.

The intricate nature of family relationships captivated Alex Haridi, who collaboratively penned the script alongside Lotta Erikson and Helene Lindholm.

I, too, have a deeply complex bond with my sister. When I began learning about Jan, it was enlightening: observing them is much like watching ancient Greek gods, constantly battling and causing strife, and their actions ultimately impact ordinary individuals. It’s striking how I can trace events in my own life to the discord between us siblings, which started back in the early 1980s.

He noted: “He significantly influenced our lives in Sweden, surprisingly so as he wasn’t intended to manage the company. Being the youngest among four siblings, he stepped into the role and became an immense figure. I wouldn’t equate him directly with Trump, but they are both highly controversial figures. Some see him as a savior while others view him as the devil. In essence, he embodies both roles, yet neither.

Their lead actor had to capture this duality, too. 

Kapetanović reminisced, ‘Jan has an endearing quality about him, there’s a touch of mystery and a hint of childishness. I searched high and low in Sweden, even ventured into Norway, but it was only Jakob who could fluently speak all three Scandinavian languages.’

Although there was some risk due to his accent, since he had previously performed in a Swedish show, now we have a Norwegian actor portraying one of Sweden’s most significant characters. I’m incredibly proud of this casting decision.

Haridi remarked: “During the auditions, I couldn’t help but notice Jakob. He was simply captivating, radiant, and delightful. But then came a moment when things seemed to change. Suddenly, it felt strange. Yet, he truly dominates the series.

In this production, Oftebro is accompanied by Zoe Boyle, Malin Crepin, Julia Marko Nord, Iggy Malmborg, and Niklas Engdahl. Despite the need for “Vanguard” to be extremely factually accurate, Haridi clarified that the real family did not participate in it.

As a film enthusiast, I reached out to numerous individuals within our circle, both personally and professionally. It turns out that our own family was apprised of the development and production of this series; however, they chose not to be part of it.

Rather than delving into complex aspects, the team decided to emphasize the allure of the story for younger audiences – Stenbeck sadly passed away in 2002 – and sought a method to intertwine his personal hardships with the significant transformations within the media world he significantly influenced.

During the 1970s, educational programs were commonplace. However, people soon discovered they could profit from this, leading them to state: ‘We’ll provide what people want.’ This sentiment was echoed by Steinbeck as well: ‘We’ll give the Swedish audience what they desire.’ A captivating moment illustrating this occurs in the fourth episode, when he converses with individuals reminiscent of Berlusconi, the founder of Mediaset. This is why we are now flooded with low-quality TV shows.

Haridi mentioned that since the show is filled with business-related discussions, it was crucial for us to strike a balance by ensuring there’s always an undercurrent of emotional content as well.

Regardless of whether you grasp the specific business jargon, there’s always a relatable personal narrative to follow. Including both aspects in each scene was an effective approach.

In the end, it essentially boils down to the importance of family, as they all strive against one another,” Kapetanović mused. “Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you fail, and ultimately you find yourself questioning: Was it all worth the effort in the end?

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2025-06-10 16:48