YLE, Banijay Finland team up for drag queen crime comedy series

Cristal Snow and Viivi Huuska are behind Queen Heist

YLE in Finland has commissioned a drag queen-inspired crime comedy caper from Banijay, which is also developing a Finnish romcom film.

Queen Heist (8×25′) is described as a fast-paced comedy written and created by Cristal Snow, directed by his sibling Viivi Huuska and produced by Max Malka.

The series follows brothers who, after losing their jobs at a small-town sausage factory, accidentally stumble into a life of drag-fuelled criminal escapades. Joined by their childhood friends, they become amateur thieves in amateur drag, on a road to unexpected self-discovery.

The project grew creatively as part of Banijay Bootcamp, a development and writer programme led by Steve Matthews designed to accelerate new scripted ideas from labels across the Banijay Entertainment group.

Alongside the series, Banijay Finland is developing The Good Widow, described as a liberating, unconventional take on late-life love and desire. Written and directed by Josefina Rautiainen (How to Shout), it will be produced by Minna Virkajärvi.

Blending sharp humour and inter-generational comedy, the film follows a 72-year-old widow who defies family and community expectations by forming an unexpected relationship with a much younger man she meets online.

The two projects join a Banijay Finland scripted slate that includes crime titles such as Murder in Hanko and Detective Maria Kallio, comedies such as Supporting Actor, and young-adult dance drama Dance Brothers.

Max Malka, creative director for scripted at Banijay Finland, said: “We are ambitiously building a scripted portfolio defined by boldly creative projects, and these two original stories highlight how distinctive Finland can be.

“With Queen Heist, Cristal has delivered a joyful romp that was bolstered creatively at Banijay Bootcamp, then commissioned by YLE. Meanwhile, Minna is shaping The Good Widow into a surprisingly funny comedy about choosing life, and romance, on your own terms. Both titles have the confidence and energy to cut through, with the potential to engage audiences in Finland and beyond.”