Viaplay vows to maintain production output at 70 originals in 2023

Children’s fantasy book adaptation Ronja the Robber’s Daughter

GOTEBORG: Scandinavian streamer Viaplay plans to launch about 70 original series and films in 2023, roughly matching its output for 2022.

The content covers both Nordic productions and local stories for Viaplay’s international markets.

The company has a direct-to-consumer service in 11 markets, including the UK, and will soon launch in the US and Canada. Its Viaplay Select branded content is available through partners in 20 countries.

“Viaplay has been ramping up our production output in recent years, but the steep increase will now level out at about this number,” Viaplay’s senior VP of scripted content Camilla Rydbacken told TV Drama Vision delegates here in Goteborg.

The Nordics remains the biggest market for Viaplay’s original content.

Its most prestigious current production is Ronja the Robber’s Daughter, a drama based on the children’s fantasy book by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, first published in 1981.

“It doesn’t get any bigger for a Nordic storyteller like us. It’s a huge production with a large crew. The shoot started in August and is now about half way. The first season is six episodes and we anticipate a launch in late 2023,” Rydbacken said.

Rydbacken also highlighted the second season of Swedish youth series Thunder in My Heart, created by and starring Amy Deasismont.