Sky’s ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ Series Casts Lisbeth Salander
Stieg Larsson’s Millennium books have proven to be enduring classics, and a new series adaptation of ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ is set to bring this timeless story to television. With over 100 million copies sold globally, the pressure to cast the right actors is immense. This project has faced a long journey to reach this point.
The story has been adapted multiple times, featuring notable actors. Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist starred in the Swedish films, while Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig took on the roles in David Fincher’s 2011 American version. Claire Foy later portrayed Lisbeth Salander in 2018’s ‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web’. Each adaptation has had to confront the challenge of finding the perfect fit for these iconic characters.
Sky has finally revealed its casting choices. David Oyelowo and Viola Prettejohn will lead the series, with Oyelowo portraying disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Prettejohn stepping into the role of hacker Lisbeth Salander, as reported by Deadline. This adaptation comes approximately 15 years after the films featuring Craig and Mara.
Oyelowo is the more established actor of the duo. Known for his roles in ‘Silo’ and ‘Selma’, he is also an executive producer on the series. His recent work includes ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’, and he is set to appear in the upcoming ‘Treasure Island’.
Prettejohn is an emerging talent, having portrayed the young Princess Elizabeth in ‘The Crown’. Her other credits include ‘Amadeus’, ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’, and ‘Brides’. Interestingly, she was reportedly cast in ‘The Crown’ due to her resemblance to Foy, who previously played Salander in the films.
Sky’s scripted originals chief has expressed confidence in the casting. Managing director Meghan Lyvers described the characters as two of modern fiction’s most iconic and compelling figures, and stated that the network is excited to have these actors bring them to life for a new audience.
The 8-part series will modernize the story while preserving the characters, mysteries, and investigative essence of Larsson’s novels. It will also delve into how power, secrecy, and misogyny manifest in today’s interconnected digital landscape. The central mystery revolves around the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger from the secluded island home of one of Sweden’s most powerful industrial families.
In this adaptation, Blomkvist is a disgraced journalist, and Salander is a fierce hacker. According to Deadline, the series aims to explore the Vanger family more deeply than previous adaptations, allowing the 8-episode format to provide a more expansive narrative than a single film could.
The series is being written and executive produced by Amanda Coe, Steve Lightfoot, and Angela LaManna. Reinaldo Marcus Green, the Oscar-nominated director of ‘King Richard’, will serve as lead director and executive producer. The production is being handled by Left Bank Pictures, known for ‘The Crown’ and ‘Dept Q’, in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television.
The path to this adaptation has not been easy. Amazon MGM Studios had been developing a new version for years, with Veena Sud attached as showrunner, before Sky took over the project in January. Amazon has since stepped back, while Sony Pictures Television and Left Bank continue their involvement.
Filming is scheduled to begin in Lithuania next month. The show will air on Sky across the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, with Sony Pictures Television managing international distribution and set to present the series to global clients at Mipcom in October. Sony is still seeking a U.S. distributor.
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