Spearheading a new strategy to grow an international slate, Israel-based Yes Studios has picked up “Haze,” an Icelandic crime series produced and created by Sigurjón Kjartansson (“Trapped,” “Katla”).
The eight-part drama stars Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, whose acting credits include “Succession” and “Game of Thrones.”
Produced by Kjartansson’s banner S800, “Haze” has already been commissioned by Icelandic broadcaster RUV. Filming will begin this Summer for an expected delivery in 2026.
Yes Studios has boarded international distribution rights for the series (excluding Benelux, where it will be repped by Lumiere) and also holds rights for the scripted format. The company will formally launch the series to buyers at next week’s Content London where it’s expected to kick off pre-sales.
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Kjartansson previously co-wrote and executive produced some of Iceland’s biggest titles, “Trapped” and “Katla,” both helmed by Baltasar Kormákur. For “Haze,” he has assembled a topnotch creative team, including producer Erlinger Jack Gudmundsson (“Operation Napoleon,” “The Minister”), writers Gagga Jonsdottir (“Trapped”) and David Mar Stefansson (“Trapped,” “Gangs of London”) and director Óskar Thor Axelsson (“Stella Blomkvist,” “Riviera”).
Set in present-day Iceland, “Haze” is a gripping international crime story set against the backdrop of the drug industry, exploring the double standards and corruption in the highest echelons of power. The series tells the story of “three childhood friends – from very different backgrounds – who grew up together in a small Icelandic town but have gone their separate ways since their early 20s. Now in their mid-40s, one is the CEO of one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Europe, one is a doctor,and the third is a drug dealer. When a big secret from their past begins to surface, the forces of destiny serve to bring them together again, with serious consequences for each of their lives,” the synopsis reads.
“Haze” marks the first international drama on the Yes Studios slate and illustrates the company’s strategic shift as it now looks to acquire premium titles to complement its slate of top Israeli dramas, comedies and documentaries, including “Your Honor,” “Night Therapy,” “Fauda,” “Shtisel,” “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” “Bloody Murray,” “Significant Other” and “The Lost City: 101 Days in Captivity.”
Kjartansson said his “original idea for “Haze’ is to show the grey area between the lawful trade of pharmaceuticals and the unlawful business of the underworld.” Speaking of his first collaboration with Yes Studios, he praised their “many years of experience in the international TV industry.”
Sharon Levi, Yes Studios’ managing director, said the “company has considered expanding our slate to include international titles for a little while now, but were waiting for the right title – one that we not only loved but that also fits with the premium, well-crafted and thoughtful content we currently represent.”
“Haze’ ticks all those boxes and more. It is a brilliantly engaging contemporary thriller, plays cleverly with a universal David vs Goliath theme and has an impressive and talented team already attached,” Levi said.
Levi said the banner is on the lookout for other international scripted projects and will be taking meetings in London. “Our dedicated team has experience with numerous genres, including crime, political thrillers, family sagas, romantic comedy and science fiction, and we are used to working closely with creators and producers to help shows get developed, financed and placed with the right buyers,” she said.
Over the years, Yes Studios has worked with international broadcasters and streamers, including Netflix and HBO Max. Some of its scripted hits have been adapted by Showtime in the US, Amazon Prime, TF1 in France, Sony LIV in India, ENA in Korea and ITV in the U.K., among others.
