The six-part series produced by Lapidus’ own shingle Strive Stories, is due to start filming this summer, with Darkland’s Fenar Ahmad set to direct.

Swedish author Lapidus and his partner in Strive Stories, producer Nicklas Wikström Nicastro, are being reunited with the actor from their Snabba Cash series Alexander Abdallah.

Starring alongside the Kristallen winning Abdallah are Julia Ragnarsson (Blinded, Spring Tide), Felice Jankell (Snabba Cash, Agent Hamilton) and Lancelot Ncube (Caliphate).

Lapidus’ novel ‘Paradis City’ is being adapted for the screens by seasoned head-writer Björn Paqualin (Occupied, Agatha Christie’s Hjerson) with Michaela Hamilton and Oliver Dixon serving as episodic writers.

The series is set in Sweden in a not-too-distant future, where the country’s most deprived areas are surrounded by walls and subject to special laws that claim to protect the rest of society. When the Home Secretary delivers a speech inside the largest area, known as Paradis City, she is kidnapped by masked men. Security Service agent Fredrika (Julia Ragnarsson) turns to Emir (Alexander Abdallah), a former MMA fighter facing a life sentence in prison, with an ultimatum: go undercover in Paradis City and find the Home Secretary if Emir wants to see his daughter again.

“My novel ‘Paradis City’ is an attempt to say something about our times,” said Lapidus who has been following very closely the series’ development process.

Paradis City is being produced by Wikström Nicastro and Caroline Landerberg for Strive Stories, in co-production with Viaplay, and in partnership with Paprika Studios.

Viaplay Content Distribution handles global sales.