Scandi Alliance greenlights ‘Royal Blood’, from Fremantle’s Miso
One of Scandinavia’s most ambitious – and highly anticipated – TV drama series, historical epic ‘Royal Blood’ from Fremantle’s Scandinavian powerhouse Miso Film, has secured a production commitment from the Scandi Alliance of TV2 Norway, TV4 Sweden and TV 2 Denmark.
Banijay Entertainment has confirmed the budget for the six-part series at 15 million euros, certainly very substantial for Scandinavia. Fremantle will handle international distribution. The series is expected to start in early 2027.
With extensive experience directing episodes of top dramas such as ‘The Crown’, as well as ITV Studios’ ‘I Fought The Law’ and TV2’s ‘Occupied’, Norway’s Erik Richter Strand has been attached to direct the premium miniseries.
The green light for the production and Richter Strand’s involvement were unveiled by TV2 Norway drama head Alice Sommer at the Gothenburg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision conference on January 27, marking a new phase of international funding.
Originally announced a year ago on TV Drama Vision as the Scandi Alliance’s first joint drama bet, chosen from 75 Scandinavian entries, “Royal Blood” was then in early development and was being set up at Miso Film Norway, part of Miso Film.
As Napoleon of France challenges Europe’s other great powers, ‘Royal Blood’ depicts the dramatic power struggle between the Scandinavian royal houses in the period 1807-1814. “A small group of ambitious figures in Denmark, Norway and Sweden are forced to navigate desire, loyalty, identity and ambition in a world where every personal choice carries national consequences,” the synopsis reads.
“Royal Blood” was created by Nanna Westh (“The Legacy,” “Cry Wolf”), Richter Strand, Monica Boracco (“Mars & Venus”) and Katarina Launing (“Battle”). Westh and Richter Strand serve as lead writers.
The series is produced for TV2 Norway, TV4 Sweden and TV2 Denmark, by Kristin Ulseth and Vegard Stenberg Eriksen for Miso Film Norway, in close collaboration with Miso Film Denmark and Miso Film Sweden. Peter Bose, Jonas Allen, Christian Rank, Are Heidenstrøm and Richter Strand are executive producers.
“’Royal Blood’ is a truly epic undertaking that explores how power, loyalty and personal ambition come together at a pivotal moment in Scandinavian history,” said Sommer. “This is a story that belongs to all of us: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ‘Royal Blood’ captures a defining moment when the fates of our nations were intertwined in ways that continue to define who we are today.”
She added: “We are incredibly proud to support this ambitious production as the Scandi Alliance’s first flagship series. With Erik Richter Strand at the helm and Miso Film’s proven track record in premium drama, we are confident this series will resonate deeply with today’s audiences while setting a new benchmark for Scandinavian historical drama.”
Founded by Danish producing duo Jonas Allen and Peter Bose, Miso’s proven track record in premium drama is based on series such as Tobias Lindholm’s ‘The Investigation’, Netflix’s first Danish original series ‘The Rain’, Christopher Boe’s inventive ‘Warrior’ and ‘1864’, a devastating fictional indictment of Denmark’s ruling elite.
“‘Royal Blood’ is about how power really works and how alliances are built and broken, and how the fate of entire nations can depend on very human choices. At its core, it is driven by fear, pride, vulnerability and courage, where even small decisions can have enormous consequences,” said producer Kristin Ulseth of Miso Film.
She added: “Even though it’s set in the past, the story feels incredibly current, making it both a gripping drama and a disturbing mirror of our own times. With Erik Richter Strand attached and not least his experience on ‘The Crown’, we’re confident that ‘Royal Blood’ will have scale and intimacy in a cinematic and deeply relatable way.”
