klcontactcheck Henning Mankell's books about inspector Kurt Wallander are immensely popular in the UK. Together with Left Bank Pictures, Yellow Bird has produced the English series Wallander for the BBC, starring Kenneth Branagh. So far, six films have been produced and aired. The first season (comprised of the films Sidetracked, One step behind and Firewall, based on the Mankell novels with the same titles) were shot in Ystad, Sweden, during 2008.
During the summer and autumn of 2009 another three films were shot in Ystad based on Henning Mankell´s books Faceless Killers, The Fifth Woman and The Man Who Smiled.
The first season was well received as it was broadcast on BBC1 in December 2008. The number of viewers was between 5.3-6.2 million with viewing shares of 22-24 percent. British critics were also positive. Among others, The Times wrote that “this distinctly superior cop show is both spare and suggestive, and brilliantly acted”.
At the 2009 BAFTA TV Awards, Wallander won the prize for best Drama Series. Yellow Bird was the first Swedish production company ever to receive this award. At the subsequent BAFTA TV craft awards Wallander picked up the prizes for original television music, production design, sound, and photography and lighting.
The second season of the series was also met by critical acclaim as it was broadcast on BBC1 in January 2010. The Telegraph stated that the return of Wallander "made for top-notch drama”. Audience figures continued to be high: between 5.3-6.3 million with viewing shares of around 20 percent.
In 2010, Kenneth Branagh picked up a Bafta for best Leading Actor. Wallander also won the prize for Sound Fiction at the BAFTA TV craft awards the same year.
So far, the films have been sold to more than fourteen countries including the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
RELEASE SCHEDULE
TV
The first three films were broadcast on BBC1 in December 2008 and on the US channel PBS in May 2009. In Sweden, the films were shown by TV4 during autumn 2009.
The second series (Faceless Killers, The Fifth Woman and The Man Who Smiled) was broadcast on BBC1 during January 2010.
DVD
Both series have been released on DVD in the UK. In Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark the first series has been released.
The second season will be released on DVD in Scandinavia during autumn 2010.
Branagh picks up Bafta for Wallander Close
At the 2010 BAFTA television awards, Kenneth Branagh was named Leading Actor as Wallander. It is the second consecutive year that the Wallander series receives Baftas. Last year the production picked up several awards, including best Drama Series.
- A series rarely receives awards two years in a row. This proves that we have managed to maintain the same high quality in the second Wallander series as in the first run, says Daniel Ahlqvist, producer at Yellow Bird.
The British Wallander films have been produced for the BBC by Swedish Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and Kenneth Branagh. The second series, comprising three new films based on Henning Mankell’s novels, was screened on BBC1 in January this year. Viewing figures continued to be high, averaging around six million. In Scandinavia, the films will be released on DVD during the autumn.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer, Yellow Bird
+46-705 657 766
daniel@yellowbird.se
06 Jun 2010
Branagh picks up Bafta for Wallander Close
At the 2010 BAFTA television awards, Kenneth Branagh was named Leading Actor as Wallander. It is the second consecutive year that the Wallander series receives Baftas. Last year the production picked up several awards, including best Drama Series.
- A series rarely receives awards two years in a row. This proves that we have managed to maintain the same high quality in the second Wallander series as in the first run, says Daniel Ahlqvist, producer at Yellow Bird.
The British Wallander films have been produced for the BBC by Swedish Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and Kenneth Branagh. The second series, comprising three new films based on Henning Mankell’s novels, was screened on BBC1 in January this year. Viewing figures continued to be high, averaging around six million. In Scandinavia, the films will be released on DVD during the autumn.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer, Yellow Bird
+46-705 657 766
daniel@yellowbird.se
05 Jan 2010
Acclaimed return for Wallander on BBC Close
On Sunday 4 January, BBC One began to broadcast the second season of Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh. The first film to be shown was Faceless Killers, which was seen by an audience of 5.5 million. The number corresponds to a viewing share of 20 percent. Faceless Killers is based on the Henning Mankell novel with the same title. The film was very well received in British press following Sunday’s broadcast. The Times stated: ”It’s a bleak and brilliant performance at the heart of a beautifully made film. Back for a new series, Wallander is a class act”. The Telegraph similarly wrote: ”The return last night to BBC One of the Swedish detective […] made for top-notch drama”.
”It is great to see that both critics and viewers continue to appreciate our films”, says Daniel Ahlqvist, producer at Yellow Bird. ”Now, we hope that Kenneth Branagh will receive a Golden Globe for best actor on January 17 as well”.
On January 10 and 17 BBC One will broadcast the remaining two films, The Fifth Woman and The Man Who Smiled, also based on Mankell books. The films are produced by Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and are shot in Ystad, Sweden.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist
Producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
16 Jul 2009
Wallander nominated for EMMY Awards Close
The UK version of Wallander, produced by Yellow Bird and Left Bank Pictures for the BBC, has been honored by The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with two nominations for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.
Kenneth Branagh was recognized in the Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie category for his performance in Wallander: One Step Behind.
Philip Martin has also been nominated for his work on Wallander: One Step Behind in the category of Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special.
Other nominations include Lukas Strebel, DOP, and Barbara Kidd, Costume Designer, who are currently working with Yellow Bird on the production of the second series.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
19 May 2009
Wallander picks up further BAFTAs Close
The film series Wallander, where Yellow Bird is one of the producers, picked up four prizes during the BAFTA craft awards this weekend. Wallander took home awards for original television music, production design, sound (fiction/entertainment), and photography and lighting (fiction/entertainment). During the BAFTA TV awards earlier this year, Wallander won in the best drama series category. During the summer of 2009 three more films are being shot in Ystad, Sweden, again starring Kenneth Branagh.
- We are pleased to being able to shoot the second series of Wallander already this year. The success of the first three films is evidence of the strength in international co-productions. By shooting in Ystad with a film team consisting of people from Sweden, Denmark and the UK we have managed to create English films that still bear a strong Scandinavian mark, says Daniel Ahlqvist, producer at Yellow Bird.
Between 5.3-6.2 million viewers watched the first three films as they were shown on BBC1. The series has been sold to more than fourteen countries, including the US where the first film had more than four million viewers. In Sweden, TV4 will show the series later this year.
The upcoming three films are based on Henning Mankell´s books Faceless Killers, The Fifth Woman and The Man Who Smiled. They are again produced for the BBC by Yellow Bird, Left Bank Pictures, WGBH and Kenneth Branagh’s company TKBC.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
27 Apr 2009
Yellow Bird wins BAFTA for Wallander Close
Yellow Bird is the first Swedish production company ever to have won the British BAFTA TV award for best drama series. The award went to the series Wallander, produced for the BBC by Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and Kenneth Branagh.
-This award is evidence of the strength of both British and Scandinavian film production. The series was shot in Ystad in Sweden with a film team consisting of people from Sweden, Denmark and the UK. It has been an international co-production in the true sense of the word and all involved are very happy for the achievement, says Mikael Wallén, MD of Yellow Bird.
Wallander is comprised of the three films Sidetracked, Firewall and One step behind, starring Kenneth Branagh as inspector Kurt Wallander. The films are based on books by Henning Mankell and have been released on DVD in the UK, Sweden and Norway.
Wallander was successfully screened on BBC1 at the end of last year. The number of viewers was between 5.3-6.2 million and the corresponding viewing shares amounted to between 22-24 percent.
For more information, please contact:
Mikael Wallén, MD of Yellow Bird
mikael.wallen@yellowbird.se
+46-704 31 21 15
Daniel Ahlqvist, Producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
02 Apr 2009
Kenneth Branagh awarded for Wallander Close
At the recent BPG Television and Radio Awards, Kenneth Branagh was named best actor for his performance as the Swedish detective Kurt Wallander in the three-part Wallander series on BBC One. The BPG (Broadcasting Press Guild) is an association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally.
Wallander is comprised of the three films Sidetracked, Firewall and One step behind. The films are based on books by Henning Mankell and are produced by Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and Kenneth Branagh.
Wallander was successfully screened on BBC One in the end of last year. The number of viewers was between 5.3-6.2 million and the corresponding viewing shares amounted to between 22-24 percent. British critics were also very positive. Among others, The Times wrote that “this distinctly superior cop show is both spare and suggestive, and brilliantly acted”.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
25 Mar 2009
British Wallander BAFTA nominated Close
The English series Wallander has been nominated in the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' (Bafta) TV awards for best drama series. It is competing against Doctor Who, Shameless and Spooks.
Wallander is comprised of the three films Sidetracked, Firewall and One step behind, starring Kenneth Branagh as inspector Kurt Wallander. The films are based on books by Henning Mankell and are produced by Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and Kenneth Branagh.
Wallander was successfully screened on BBC1 in the end of last year. The number of viewers was between 5.3-6.2 million and the corresponding viewing shares amounted to between 22-24 percent. British critics were also very positive. Among others, The Times wrote that “this distinctly superior cop show is both spare and suggestive, and brilliantly acted”.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer at Yellow Bird
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
18 Mar 2009
British Wallander released in Scandinavia Close
The three British films Sidetracked, Firewall and One step behind, starring Kenneth Branagh as inspector Kurt Wallander, are now being released in Sweden and Norway. The films are produced by Yellow Bird together with Left Bank Pictures and were successfully screened on BBC1 in the end of last year. The number of viewers was between 5.3-6.2 million and the corresponding viewing shares amounted to between 22-24 percent. British critics were also very positive. Among others, The Times wrote that “this distinctly superior cop show is both spare and suggestive, and brilliantly acted”.
The films are based on Henning Mankell´s three Wallander books Sidetracked, Firewall and One step behind. SF is the DVD distributor in Scandinavia. In Sweden and Norway, Sidetracked is released 18 March. Firewall and One step behind are subsequently released during April-May. The films will also be shown on TV4 in Sweden and TV2 in Norway.
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Ahlqvist, producer
daniel@yellowbird.se
+46-705 65 77 66
10 Jan 2008
Yellow Bird to produce three Wallander movies for BBC Close
With the British cinematization of Henning Mankell’s critically acclaimed novels about detective Kurt Wallander, Zodiak Television are now making their way into the highly reputable British TV drama market. Along with the Oscar awarded producer Andy Harries, the Zodiak owned company Yellowbird will produce three 90 minute movies for what might be the most renowned channel in the world, BBC1. The leading role of Kurt Wallander will be played by Kenneth Branagh, one of Britain’s most well-reputed actors.
The British Wallander project is a huge breakthrough for Zodiak Television, who embarked upon their film strategy when acquiring Yellowbird in February 2007. Yellow Bird will as co-producers own and control a third of all income pertaining to the project globally. Given that Henning Mankell’s novels have sold more than 25 million copies around the world, Yellow Bird counts on the series selling to more territories than any other Swedish produced drama series. The Swedish Wallander movies have had an international turnover of 15 MSEK and have been sold to 20 countries. The movies will be shot on location in Ystad during the spring and summer and Yellow Bird will be responsible for the production
”The Wallander movies for BBC prime-time are the single most valuable orders that any Zodiak company has received since the profitability potential is massive. Furthermore, I believe that there is even more potential in additional movies for the BBC and in the
exploitation of Henning Mankell and other rights that Yellowbird own, so this is really just the beginning”, says Patrick Svensk, CEO and President of Zodiak.
Branagh, who is also a co-producing partner, has had a long time passion for the books, and the project came into fruition when he contacted executive producer of Yellowbird Ole Søndberg. Branagh has gained international recognition and several Oscar and Emmy nods through a number of critically acclaimed movies in which he has participated as both an actor and director. Among other movies, he has directed and played the leading role in ”Henry V”, ”Much Ado About Nothing” and ”Othello” and he most recently directed
”Sleuth”, starring Jude Law and Michal Cain, from a script by Harold Pinter, as well as “As You Like It” for HBO.
The three movies will be co-produced by Andy Harries, the producer behind a number of internationally successful movies, among others ”The Queen” that in 2007 won one Oscar and was nominated to another five.
“Wallander is an extremely ambitious project – after all we're looking to create a classic new detective character for British television. The Henning Mankell novels are well loved around the world and have a depth and complexity which will make for exciting and compulsive viewing. We couldn't hope for a stronger team behind the project, nor could we hope for a more perfect leading man than Kenneth Branagh”, says Anne Mensah, Head of Drama for BBC Scotland.
Yellow Bird is one of the largest drama producers in Sweden. The company has produced 13 Wallander movies with a total budget of 200 MSEK. In co-production with Illusion Film, Yellow Bird also recently finalized 6 movies based on Helene Tursten’s novels about Irene Huss and they are currently producing 6 movies based on Stieg Larsson’s three success novels about Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomqvist with a budget of over 100 MSEK. Furthermore, two new, large projects are in development directly for the German
market, with production starting during 2008/2009.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Svensk
CEO and President Zodiak Television
+46 708 66 07 30
Mikael Wallén
MD Yellow Bird
+46 704 31 21 15
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