Scandi noir thriller set for 'bold and contemporary' reimagining by Dept. Q producers


Stieg Larsson's bestselling thriller series is getting the small-screen treatment in Sky's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Production begins in Spring.


man and woman looking at computer screen© Alamy Stock Photo
Nicky Morris
Nicky MorrisActing TV and Film Editor
1 hour ago
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The first novel in Stieg Larsson's bestselling thriller series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is being brought to life on-screen once again in an upcoming eight-part series for Sky

It comes 15 years after the film starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig was released and promises a "bold and contemporary" reimagining of Stieg Larsson's globally bestselling novel series. 

If, like me, you're a crime thriller fan, then this series is definitely one to keep your eye on. Not only is the thriller produced by Left Bank Pictures, which is behind acclaimed shows such as The Crown and Dept. Q, but it's penned by Steve Lightfoot and Angela LaManna, who have a good track record when it comes to writing psychological thrillers, having both worked on the Netflix series Behind Her Eyes, while Angela also has a writing credit on The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Intrigued? Here's all we know so far.

WATCH: The trailer for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
ROONEY MARA, DANIEL CRAIG, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, 2011© Alamy Stock Photo

Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig starred in the 2011 film

What is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo about?

The series is billed as a "bold and contemporary reimagining" which is set in the present and is "grounded in the characters and investigative DNA of Stieg Larsson's Millennium novels, with themes that carry heightened relevance today". 

While plot details have been kept under wraps so far, the three books in the Millennium novel series follow investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander. 

The books have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and have received significant international acclaim. Author Minette Walters hailed the first novel as a "stunning thriller," and described it as "brilliantly written and totally gripping". 

ROONEY MARA, DANIEL CRAIG, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, 2011© Alamy Stock Photo

Rooney Mara played Lisbeth Salander in the 2011 version

Who stars in the series?

Sky has yet to announce casting details for the upcoming show. However, we do know that production will commence in Spring 2026 in Lithuania.

man and woman on motorcycle© Alamy Stock Photo

Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace starred in the 2009 film trilogy

Other adaptations of the novel series

This isn't the first time Larsson's novels have been adapted for the screen, having been made into the 2009 Swedish film trilogy starring Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace, before Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara starred in the 2011 English-language version directed by David Fincher.

A follow-up film, directed by Fede Álvarez, came in 2018, starring Claire Foy.

two men in dark room© Alamy Stock Photo

A release date has yet to be announced

When will the series be released?

The series will be available on Sky in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Television will handle international distribution with pre-sale efforts already underway in the U.S.

A release date has yet to be announced, but stay tuned, we'll keep you up to date!

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