Head-writer and concept director Jens Jonsson (Blinded, Young Wallander) is attached to the event series starring Josefin Neldén, Anna Sise and August Wittgenstein.

The timely suspense thriller which delves into Russian interfering in Swedish politics, is based on Magnus Montelius’ novel Eight Months.

Josefin Neldén (The Restaurant, The Head) plays freelance journalist Nina who is pulled into the innermost corridors of the Swedish government and realises that she plays a central role in a political power struggle, with the fate of the nation at stake. As it becomes clear that Russia is pulling the strings of an operation against Sweden, Nina’s role remains ambiguous: which side is she on?

“With Russia's invasion of Ukraine and strained negotiations on NATO membership, Sweden finds itself in a completely new security situation. I think TV4 is very brave and shows its ambition as a platform by ordering a series that is so realistic and extremely contemporary,” said Jonsson.

Piodor Gustafsson, Nordic drama manager for TV4, says he is pleased to work again with Jens Jonsson “on a series that deals with such a current theme in an exciting and entertaining way. We face an uncertain and troubled future, and our ambition is always to depict the present in a relevant way for our viewers. We want to touch and unite Sweden with strong emotions, drama and humour,” he underlined.

The series set to start filming in March is being produced by Anagram Sweden’s Erik Magnusson, with TV4’s Lisa Dahlberg serving as executive producer.

The Doctrine is co-produced by Belgium’s Beside Productions, Film i Väst and Finland’s Aurora Studios, with support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

The series has also received co-financing from Aurora Studios’ recently founded private equity fund the Finnish Impact Film Fund (FIFF). Commenting on FIFF’s first investment into a non-Finnish project, Aurora Studios’ CEO Petri Kemppinen said: “A favourite book with good cast, crew and long-known partners so what’s not to like!”

The Doctrine is the first Swedish series handled by Newen Connect, international sales division of French Group Newen Studios, that acquired a majority stake in Scandinavian production powerhouse Anagram last October.

Other series currently on Anagram Sweden’s slate include Disney+’s first Nordic original series To Cook a Bear, based on Mikael Niemi’s best-selling eponymous novel.