Netflix is taking a trip up north — and so are some up-and-coming actors. The streamer announced this morning that Joel Kinnaman and Tobias Santelmann will star in the upcoming Netflix thriller series based on the Norwegian Harry Hole book series written by Jo Nesbø. The Harry Hole book series follows the adventures of a neurotic homicide detective of the same name, who will reportedly be portrayed by Santelmann. Kinnaman, in turn, will play Hole’s enemy Tom Waaler, a dishonest cop operating from within the Oslo police department. Additional castings for the series include Pia Tjelta, a Norwegian actress who is mostly known for the television series Made in Oslo and who will play Hole’s romantic interest, Rakel Fauke.
Santelmann, a German-born Norwegian actor, is likely best known for his role as Knut Haugland in the 2012 Oscar-nominated feature Kon-Tiki, though he has also been seen in 2014’s Hercules and the Danish crime thriller series Those Who Kill. Kinnaman received international recognition for his portrayal of Colonel Rick Flag in both Suicide Squad films, the all-business field leader of the titular squad. He has additionally starred as protagonist Ed Baldwin in the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind since its debut in 2019. Santelmann shared his reaction to joining the series as Harry Hole, saying:
“I am incredibly humbled by the trust I have been shown. I am very much aware of the global fan base out there and the millions of readers who love the character. For me, it’s important to create a recognizable but also unexpected Harry. I can’t wait for the shoot to start. It will be a true pleasure to work with everyone. A few years back, I read all the books back to back. These days I am listening to the audiobooks to get to know Harry as much as I can. Jo Nesbø plays a big part in my daily life. That’s something I really enjoy.“
What Will Happen in the ‘Harry Hole’ TV Series?
Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø has been consistently publishing Harry Hole novels since the detective first appeared in his 1997 novel The Bat. While over twelve novels’ worth of source material could make any executive dizzy, sources confirm that Netflix will be mostly adapting the plot of the fifth Harry Hole book The Devil’s Star for the first season of the TV series. The Devil’s Star follows Hole tracking down a new serial killer on the streets of Oslo as he additionally looks to prove that his nemesis Waaler is the leader of an illegal smuggling ring.
While a series premiere date has yet to be cemented by Netflix, the project is slated to begin shooting on May 23 in Oslo. And while the newest cast members are tasked with living up to the legacy of Jo Nesbø’s enormously popular books, the author seems to believe they are more than up to the challenge. Nesbø, who also serves as the showrunner on the series, shared his excitement about the Netflix project, saying:
“I’m guessing that all readers of the book series have their own vision of what Harry Hole would look like, and they should be allowed to keep that. We will create a Harry that is based not only on the books but someone based on the actor Tobias Santelmann and everyone involved in this project – both in front and behind the camera. For me, storytelling isn’t about serving people what they think they want, but what they didn’t know they wanted. We will try to create something fresh, exciting and surprising with respect to the book version of Harry.”
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the Harry Hole series and any other upcoming Netflix thrillers.
via Collider