‘Headhunters’ Series Set Based on Jo Nesbo Bestseller, With Endeavor Content Handling Sales

Jo Nesbo’s dark corporate thriller Headhunters, turned into the 2011 cult film of the same name, is getting a TV series adaptation.

Endeavor Content has come on board to handle global sales outside the Nordic territories.

Scandinavian stars Axel Boyum (Betrayed) and Martin Wallström (Mr. Robot) head up the cast of the Headhunters series, which is currently in production. Boyum plays Roger Brown (Bøyum), a ruthless corporate headhunter who has lied and manipulated his way to success, both personally and professionally. But when his lies begin to catch up with him, it becomes a danger to both himself and the people around him.

The Headhunters series is set in 2002, before the main events of Jo Nesbo’s novel and the film adaptation. The Headhunters film, directed by Morten Tyldum, starred Aksel Hennie and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. The Norwegian thriller was a cross-over hit, grossing close to $19 million worldwide.

The series has been set up as a co-production between Sweden’s C More and TV2 in Norway with Yellowbird Norway, a subsidiary of production giant Banijay, producing. Geir Henning Hopeland is directing and co-wrote the screenplay together with Rolf-Magne G. Andersen.

“Headhunters will be a series in true Jo Nesbo spirit – a fast-paced mix of dark humor and thrills,” Hopland said in a statement.

Gudny Hummelvoll for Yellowbird Norway is producing together with Eleonore Anselme and Alexia af Kleen. Piodor Gustafsson is executive producer at C More. Currently shooting in Norway, the Headhunters series set to premiere in 2022.

Eight years ago, HBO was reported to have picked up rights to Jo Nesbo’s Headhunters novel with an eye to developing a TV version, but the project never made it to screen.