Norwegian Dystopian Drama The Fortress Lined Up for Viaplay

The dystopian drama The Fortress has been slated as the latest Viaplay original from Norway.

Set in the year 2037, the series depicts the fateful consequences of Norway’s decision to isolate itself and its citizens from the rest of the world. Tobias Santelmann (Exit, Kon-Tiki), Selome Emnetu (Luka and the Magical Theater) and Russell Tovey (The Picture of Dorian Gray, Quantico) lead the cast.

The eight-part show is set to premiere on Viaplay in 2023. Filming is currently taking place in Bergen. The Fortress is distributed globally by TrustNordisk.

The Fortress (Norwegian title: Festning Norge) is written by Linn-Jeanethe Kyed (Bø) and author John Kåre Råke (The Quake) and directed by Cecilie Mosli (Mammon, Grey’s Anatomy) and Mikkel Brænne Sandemose (State of Happiness).

Santelmann said: “Cecilie has directed most of the scenes involving my character, and she is talented, generous and committed. My experience is that both Mikkel and Cecilie have great respect for each other, and collaborate and complement each other well. The situation in the world today means that The Fortress feels uncomfortably close to home.”

Filippa Wallestam, NENT Group’s chief content officer, added: “Our next Norwegian Viaplay original might be set 15 years in the future, but is relevant to audiences everywhere today. History repeatedly shows us that what starts as a wall, ends as a prison. This unique and compelling production is the latest example of Viaplay’s commitment to Nordic storytelling that goes beyond borders—in this case, literally.”