Fifth Season Inks First-Look Distribution Deal with Media Res

Fifth Season has signed a first-look distribution pact with Media Res International, extending their partnership to give Fifth Season the first opportunity to distribute all of Media Res’s scripted projects.

Fifth Season currently distributes Media Res’s Pachinko, Scenes From a Marriage and The Morning Show. The first Media Res title to be distributed by Fifth Season under the new deal is the Swedish psychological drama Summer of 1985, based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel Sommaren 1985.

Summer of 1985 marks Media Res’s first Swedish TV production and the first TV project directed by The Bridge co-creator Björn Stein. In the series, as Live Aid echoes worldwide, 15-year-old Johannes reunites with his friends in the archipelago, hoping for an idyllic holiday. Their calm shatters when a local boy is found drowned near the mythical island of Svärtan.

“We were immediately drawn to Summer of 1985—a psychological coming-of-age thriller built for multi-generational viewing,” said Jennifer Ebell, executive VP of television distribution at Fifth Season. “It draws audiences in with nostalgia, music and the promise of endless summer before revealing something darker beneath the surface. Based on the novel by internationally renowned author John Ajvide Lindqvist and set against the idyllic Swedish archipelago, it’s a bold new series that blends universal themes of growing up with a dark, unsettling twist. Media Res shares our ambition to bring distinctive, globally resonant storytelling to audiences worldwide, making this a natural partnership.”

Lars Blomgren, head of international at Media Res, added, “Fifth Season is the perfect partner to drive forward our continued ambition to bring IP and talent-led projects from all around the world to global audiences, and we look forward to working together to introduce the world to Summer of 1985 and to exploring future opportunities together.”