HBO Nordic Greenlights Norwegian Original

HBO Nordic has greenlit its first original Norwegian series, Beforeigners, a satirical science-fiction show set in the near future.

Beforeigners is an original concept from the creators and writers of Lilyhammer, Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin. Nicolai Cleve Broch (Acquitted, Max Manus) and Krista Kosonen (Blade Runner 2049) star in the lead roles.

In the series, a new phenomenon starts happening all over the world: powerful flashes of light occur in the ocean and people from the past appear. They come from three separate time periods: the Stone Age, the Viking era and late 19th century. No one understands how this is possible, and the people from the past, called “beforeigners,” have no memory of what’s transpired. A couple of years later, Alfhildr Enginnsdottir (Kosonen), who comes from the Viking Age, is teamed up with burned-out police officer Lars Haaland as part of the police department’s integration program. While investigating the murder of a beforeigner, they begin to unravel a larger conspiracy behind the origin of the mysterious mass arrivals.

The show marks the second original production from HBO Nordic, following Lukas Moodysson’s comedy Gösta, which recently finished filming in Sweden.

Hanne Palmquist, commissioning editor and VP of original programming at HBO Nordic, said: “Beforeigners is a highly original and entertaining near future satire, set in a recognizable and yet transformed society where coexistence is a whole new ball game. I’m very proud that it’s our first Norwegian series—it’s funny, edgy and thought-provoking—a true HBO title.”

Antony Root, executive VP of original programming and production at HBO Europe, added: “Beforeigners represents exactly the kind of series we want to commission: bold, smart, author-driven, and with a distinctiveness that makes it a perfect fit for HBO. We’re excited to be working with Anne and Eilif to launch our production activities in Norway, and for Beforeigners to join our growing and varied slate of local original productions in Europe.”