Icelandic Crime Thriller "Elma" Secures Major International Distribution Deal

In a significant move, Icelandic production powerhouse Glassriver has inked a major international distribution deal with Mediawan Rights for its anticipated crime thriller series "Elma." The series is based on the bestselling book series by acclaimed Icelandic author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir.

Alongside Mediawan Rights, which holds rights outside of Iceland and Finland, the project has secured co-production support from Lunanime in Belgium, as well as partnerships with MTV Finland and private equity investors. Glassriver CEO and producer Andri Ómarsson expressed his excitement about the deal, stating that "'Elma' is an Icelandic crime story, that's ready to take on the world!"

The inaugural season of the series, titled "The Creak on the Stairs," is based on the first book in the "Elma" series and is set to begin production on October 7, 2025, in Iceland. The series will be directed by Katrín Björgvinsdóttir and Thora Hilmarsdóttir, known for their work on acclaimed Icelandic dramas.

When the first book in the "Elma" series was published in Iceland in 2018, it was widely praised for its blend of Nordic Noir and psychological depth, earning the CWA Debut Dagger-Blackbird Award. The series has since been translated and published in over 20 territories, including France and the UK.

The TV adaptation, written by Karen Björg Eyfjörð Þorsteinsdóttir, Elísabet Hall, and rising talent Urður Egilsdóttir, follows police detective Elma as she returns to her hometown of Akrane to work at the local police station after a tumultuous personal life. When a woman's body is discovered at the foot of a lighthouse, Elma must confront the town's dark secrets.