The Killing

DR Drama’s multi-award-winning TV-series ‘The Killing’ has undergone an exciting transformation. The massive hit show, that started the ‘Nordic Noir’ genre, will soon emerge as an Arabic adaption, scheduled to debut on Shahid VIP, the subscription-based service of Shahid – the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform – on 15 July 2022. Shahid is part of MBC GROUP, the largest and leading media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The original ‘The Killing’ (‘Forbrydelsen’) was launched in 2007 and was an instant success with an average national share over 60 %. Søren Sveistrup’s outstanding crime series is set in Copenhagen and evolves around Detective Inspector Sarah Lund who follow a murder case day-by-day throughout the series’ three seasons. The brand-new Shahid Original, ‘The Killing’ (‘Monataf Khater’ منعطف خطر) changes location from rainy and gloomy Copenhagen to sunny Cairo in Egypt, where the series is also filmed. Lead actors in the series include Bassel Khayat (‘Al Arrab’, ‘Tango’), Riham Abdel Ghafour (‘Zay El Chams’, ‘Al Rahla’) and Bassem Samra (’Bent Esmaha Zaat’, ‘Menawra bi Ahliha’). Produced by Charisma Pictures, the scripted productions division of Charisma Group – which acquired the adaption-rights from DR Sales – the series is written by Mohamed El Masry, and directed by Sadeer Al Massoud (‘Qaid Majhol’), with director of photography (DoP), Hossam Habbib. Tareq Al Ibrahim, Director of Content at Shahid VIP: “With its outstanding talent and gripping storylines, ’The Killing’ fast became a fan favourite and has gone on to earn a cult following across the world – not to mention a number of awards including a BAFTA and International Emmy. We’re delighted to have teamed up with DR Drama and Charisma Pictures to create a new Arabic adaptation of the police procedural drama, with a fantastic cast and crew, led by director Al Sadeer Masoud. We look forward to showcasing the series on Shahid VIP.” ‘The Killing’ is known for its plot twists, season-long storylines, dark tone and for giving equal emphasis to the stories of the murdered victim’s family and the effect in political circles alongside the police investigation. In the original series the brilliant cast includes Lars Mikkelsen, Bjarne Henriksen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and of course Sofie Gråbøl whose character, Chief Inspector Sarah Lund, became famous for her iconic woolen sweater. The adaptation of ‘The Killing’ is a strong comeback for Charisma Group in the drama production scene, being the first to bring the novel ‘Nordic Noir’ genre to the region in a bid to drive a new audience to the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform. “Seeing ‘The Killing’ unfold into ‘Monataf Khater’ has been a fulfilling work,” said Aiman Al-Ziyoud, CEO and President of Charisma Group. “We are thrilled to be introducing the Nordic Noir genre to Shahid’s Arabic audiences who are increasingly looking for novel and gripping stories. Remaining true to the unique nature of the genre while suiting the Arabic viewers’ esthetic preferences proved an exciting challenge - one that our uniquely skilled team were perfectly positioned to do - bringing this immersive and gritty crime drama to the region,” adds Al-Ziyoud. ‘The Killing’ proved to be an international hit and garnered significant critical acclaim. It has become a cult TV show and is ranked number 78 on BBC’s ‘100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century’. The series has received numerous awards and nominations including a BAFTA Award and multiple International Emmy nominations. The original series has been sold worldwide to 120+ countries.