BBC and MHz Choice Board Sweden's New Wallander Series From Banijay Rights

The BBC has acquired UK rights to a new Swedish-language Wallander series, with MHz Choice buying the U.S. and Canadian rights, distributor Banijay Rights said. The Yahoo report said Banijay Rights has also sold the TV4 series to NPO in the Netherlands, VRT in Belgium, HRT in Croatia and LNK in Lithuania.

What Banijay Rights Sold to the BBC and MHz Choice

The show stars Gustaf Skarsgård as Kurt Wallander, who begins the series aged 42 as his life unravels. Newly separated after two decades of marriage and estranged from his daughter, he confronts high-stakes cases. Antonia Pyk and Molly Hartleb are directors, along with Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, and Glenn Lund is the producer. The first season of the Swedish-language adaptation comprises three 90-minute films.

Wallander is based on Henning Mankell's bestselling novels about the detective. The novels have sold more than 40 million copies and been translated into more than 40 languages. The original Wallander series and film adaptations ran between 1994 and 2014 and played on channels such as BBC Four in the UK. The show is part of MIA Market's GreenLit showcase in Rome this week. The sales to the BBC and MHz Choice are notable for the new-look Banijay Rights, which made its market debut this month at MIPCOM in Cannes.

"Wallander is one of the defining crime franchises in international televsion, and BBC audiences have played an important part in its success over the years," said Elliot Chalkey, SVP UK and Eire at Banijay Rights. "This latest adaptation builds on the character's remarkable story and brings a contemporary perspective to the world of Kurt Wallander. It is a fitting next step to bring this iconic drama to audiences around the world."

BBC's Content Spend and Global Reach

According to akta.pro company records, the BBC's Annual Plan 2026/27 commits £2,728 million to content spend, a £180 million year-over-year increase, alongside a planned 10% reduction in its total public service cost base. The same records put the BBC's global reach at approximately 500 million people across television, radio and digital services. The broadcaster was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in London.

Earlier BBC Deals and Commissions

In March 2026, the BBC extended a memorandum of understanding with the North East region committing £40 million in network TV commissioning by 2027, involving North East mayor Kim McGuinness and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show the BBC partnered with the North East Screen Industries Partnership that month for the Digital Accelerator programme, providing £600,000 to four North East companies and joint management of the £1.3 million Small Indie Fund distribution. In April 2026, the charity Film is Fabulous! donated rediscovered lost Doctor Who episodes from 1965-1966 to BBC Archives, which will debut on BBC iPlayer.

TV4's Other Commissions

TV4 commissioned the new Wallander in collaboration with Banijay Rights, ARD Degeto, Film i Skåne and Ystad Österlen Filmfond. In October 2026, CJ ENM's dating format Couple Palace was adapted as Like to Love for TV4, produced by Mastiff Sweden, with filming beginning in Stockholm that month and a TV4 Play debut planned for 2027, EuropaWire reported.