yes Studios Picks Up Icelandic Drama HAZE

yes Studios has picked up the international distribution rights, excluding Benelux, to the eight-part Icelandic crime drama HAZE.

Created by Sigurjón Kjartansson (Trapped, Katla) and starring Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Succession, Game of Thrones), the series revolves around the drug industry, addressing the corruption and double standards in the highest ranks of power. It centers on the CEO of a huge pharmaceutical company, a doctor and a drug dealer, who were once childhood friends.

When a secret emerges from their past, they are brought together again and must face serious consequences.

HAZE is being produced by Kjartansson’s S800. The creative team behind the series includes producer Erlinger Jack Gudmundsson (Operation Napoleon, The Minister), writers Gagga Jonsdottir (Bitch and Snitch, Trapped season three) and David Mar Stefansson (Trapped season three, Gangs of London season three). The series is set to begin filming in summer 2025 and will deliver in 2026.

HAZE is the first international drama on the yes Studios slate. The company will distribute the series internationally, excluding Benelux, where it is being represented by Lumiere. yes Studios also now holds the rights to the scripted format.

“We have been considering expanding our slate to include international titles for a little while now, but were waiting for the right title—one that we not only loved but that also fits with the premium, well-crafted and thoughtful content we currently represent,” said Sharon Levi, managing director of yes Studios. “HAZE ticks all those boxes and more. It is a brilliantly engaging contemporary thriller, plays cleverly with a universal David vs. Goliath theme and has an impressive and talented team already attached. We are delighted to bring it to Content London and hope that both our and Sigurjón Kjartansson’s reputations will make it of great interest for international pre-sales.

“In addition, with this new strategy now in play, we will also be keen to review other international scripted projects that are seeking representation and will be taking meetings in London. Our dedicated team has experience with numerous genres, including crime, political thrillers, family sagas, romantic comedy and science fiction, and we are used to working closely with creators and producers to help shows get developed, financed and placed with the right buyers. We are excited for this next stage in the development of our business and look forward to establishing many fruitful new partnerships around the globe.”

“My original idea for HAZE is to show the gray area between the lawful trade of pharmaceuticals and the unlawful business of the underworld,” Kjartansson said. “Both I and producer Erlingur Jack Gudmundsson are very happy to be working with the team at yes Studios and look forward to seeing what their professional approach and many years of experience in the international TV industry will bring to our project.”