Netflix Turning One Of The Biggest Flops In Years Into Dark Crime Series

Working Title, who previously worked on the English adaptation of Nesbo’s The Snowman in 2017, will produce the new venture. Oystein Karlsen, known for his recent drama So Long Marianne, has been tapped to direct the Harry Hole series. Nesbo will personally adapt the story for the screen, as he hopes to avoid the failure of The Snowman.

Billed as a psychological crime thriller, The Snowman is directed by Tomas Alfredson and based on the novel of the same name by Nesbo. The movie stars Michael Fassbender as Detective Harry Hole, a brilliant but troubled detective investigating a series of gruesome murders in Oslo, Norway. The murders are characterized by the killer leaving behind a snowman at each crime scene.

Accompanied by recruit Katrine Bratt (Rebecca Ferguson), Harry Hole discovers a pattern linking the murders to cold cases. The pair soon realizes they are dealing with a serial killer who has been active for decades. The Snowman debuted at the Haifa International Film Festival in October 2017 and hit theaters that same month.

The film received poor reviews from critics and audiences. While it boasted a strong cast and visually striking cinematography, it was criticized for its convoluted plot and pacing issues. Additionally, many fans of the Harry Hole novels were disappointed by the film’s adaptation, feeling it failed to capture the complex nature and depth of Jo Nesbo’s characters.

The Snowman underperformed at the box office and failed to launch a successful franchise as initially hoped. It struggled to recoup its production budget and was considered a commercial disappointment. The film earned $6.7 million in the U.S and Canada, while bringing in $36.4 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $43.1 million.

As a result of its overall failure, The Snowman was subjected to online ridicule. Many viewers mocked the film for its convoluted and disjointed plot. They also criticized it for being difficult to follow and lacking cohesion. Audiences found it challenging to connect with the Harry Hole character due to Michael Fassbender’s portrayal and inconsistent motivations.

Reports of behind-the-scenes production problems, including reshoots and last-minute editing, fueled the ridicule. Audiences speculated that these issues may have contributed to the film’s lackluster quality. As is typical with poorly received movies, The Snowman resulted in various memes and internet jokes poking fun at its flaws.

Still, the new Harry Hole series, was a notable feature at Netflix’s Next on Nordic event in Stockholm on March 18. Among the other new projects was an adaptation of Amanda Romare’s novel Diary of a Ditched Girl, featuring Carla Sehn as a woman navigating the challenges of modern dating, and The New Force, a 1950s drama focusing on the female graduates from Sweden’s police academy.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter