Six International Dramas To Watch In 2023: Dystopian Thrillers, Scandi Adaptations & Cult Indie Remakes

From Trigger Point to The Empress to Marie-Antoinette, the past year has been another stellar one in the world of international drama as a wealth of streamers splashed the cash on shows across the globe and public broadcasters joined together to greenlight the best talent in the business. Below, Deadline identifies just a few of the major launches set to light up the world of scripted in 2023. Read on.

The Swarm (Germany)

With numerous co-production partners already in place, this thriller from Game of Thrones EP Frank Doelger is one of the most hotly anticipated European dramas of 2023. Distributed by both Beta Films and ZDF Studios, the high-stakes adaptation of Frank Schätzing’s bestseller is an example of the modern TV drama world at play and has partners including ZDF, France TV, Rai and Hulu Japan, who all want a piece of The Swarm, which also counts Marc Huffam (Saving Private Ryan) and Ute Leonhardt (Killing Eve) in its production team. The show tells a dystopian tale that at the same time rings painfully true today. Strange happenings are taking place around the world as whales destroy boats, deep sea crabs attack beaches and an unknown ice worm destabilizes continental slopes, while a deadly pathogen spreads in the drinking water. A group of scientists come together knowing that something major is at play and are forced to undertake a life-threatening mission, tracking intelligent life within the Arctic Ocean. The Swarm was unveiled with fanfare more than four years ago and ZDF Studios Vice President of Drama Robert Franke recently told us Doelger and co have created “the whole package.” “It’s wrapped in a topical theme — climate change and the global ecosystem in danger — but this approaches it in an entertaining way that uses genre to make concepts about complex interconnected ecosystems digestible,” he said. Prepare to be wowed.

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter (Sweden)

Scandinavian streamer Viaplay has exploded onto the original content scene, premiering at least an original a week for the past year and rolling out in several major European nations. The streamer has been buttressing the understanding that programs from the region can be so much more than the traditional notion of Scandi Noir and this is neatly evidenced in Viaplay’s upcoming adaptation of Astrid Lindgren fantasy horror Ronja the Robber’s Daughter. The 1981 novel has already been turned into a 1984 film, a Danish and German musical and Japanese anime, and it is now being given the 12-episode TV series treatment by Bron creator Hans Rosenfeld. The Swedish-language adaptation from Banijay Nordic’s Filmlance could propel Kerstin Linden into the spotlight as The Emigrants star takes on the titular role, playing the strong, independent girl who takes the world by storm. Growing up among a clan of robbers in a castle, Ronja is expected to become leader but chaos ensues when she meets a young boy from the clan on the other side of the castle. This one looks set to establish Viaplay’s growing position in the market and is testament to the breadth and depth of programing emanating from this long-admired region.

East Side (Israel)

It has become something of a cliche to rave about the outsized impact of Israeli drama on the global scene but there is no denying Israel is a nation at the top of its game. The country that brought Shtisel and Fauda to the world and is readying a drama about Leonard Cohen’s trip to Israel during the Yom Kippur War will debut East Side next year on local broadcaster Kan 11, with distributor Fremantle licking its lips at the sales potential. From Shtisel producer Abot Hameiri, East Side follows Momi, an ex-Secret Service agent-turned-fixer who plays by his own rules as he brokers shady property deals between the Arab residents of East Jerusalem, and the powerful Jewish groups trying to take control of the area by whatever means possible. Brooding and well-connected, Momi slips between communities with ease. But behind his cool facade, the deadly consequences of his double-dealing are taking their toll, and at the center of his world is 18-year-old autistic daughter Maya. The logline reveals a show that sounds like it is almost impossible to fail, exhibiting all the hallmarks that have driven Israel’s success in recent years. With the likes of Fremantle taking even more notice of the region (the RTL-owned outfit recently bought local indie Silvio Productions and already owns Abot Hameiri) and a tax credit soon to take effect, the Israeli drama stronghold over lists such as this one feels far from over.

Crash Course in Romance (South Korea)

Squid Game may feel a little while ago now but the global TV community’s eyes are always trained on what’s coming next from South Korea, and what could potentially travel. While Netflix is prepping both a second season and gameshow version of Hwang dong-Hyuk’s record-breaking dystopian hit, shows like tvN’s Crash Course in Romance continue to premiere apace. The logline describes the series as following a “warm-hearted woman who thinks of her family more than her own good,” played by Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon Do-yeon. Her character Nam Haeng-seon used to be a national handball player but has become a grocery store owner in order to look after her family while she grapples with her tutor husband’s eating disorder. But as two total opposites meet, a new romance begins. CJ ENM’s show proves that South Korea is so much more than Squid Game and tackles a bunch of modern themes head on. With other flagship launches to come over the next 12 months including thriller Our Blooming Youth and fantasy offering The Heavenly idol, the next year looks set to continue cementing the Asian nation as a hub of originality.

Boiling Point (UK)

Eyebrows rose and temperatures were raised when the TV world discovered Philip Barantini’s hit indie one-shot Boiling Point was to be made into a five-part drama by the BBC. But shock has quickly turned to excitement for a mini series that has all the ingredients of success and could just set a trend: why not turn more established indie icons into limited series? Here, Stephen Graham will return to reprize his role as Andy, the chef who lay crumped in a heap on the floor following a cocaine overdose when we left him at the end of Barantini’s BIFA-sweeping romp. Graham and co-star Hannah Walters’ Matriarch Productions is behind the BBC five-parter, which takes place six months after the movie concluded and also sees the return of breakout Sous Chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) as Head Chef at her own restaurant. Graham and Walters said the “incredible reaction to the film, its story and specifically the characters” drove them to become involved with the TV version and viewers are no doubt in for a treat.

Last King of the Cross (Australia)

In 2022, Australian soap Neighbours was cruelly taken away and then dramatically brought back to life within the course of just a few months. At the slightly higher end of the drama spectrum, Paramount+ was readying an Aussie drama that looks set to dazzle. Inspired by John Ibrahim’s best-selling autobiography, Last King of the Cross was hit hard by the loss of Ian McShane, who was supposed to play kingpin Ezra Shipman, but when McShane was replaced by Academy Award-nominee Tim Roth, producer Helium Pictures knew it still had a show on its hands. Last King of the Cross follows two Lebanese teenagers who arrive in Australia and quickly enter the underworld, making a name for themselves as the cocaine wave hits the Kings Cross nightclub district, leading, unsurprisingly, to chaos. Paramount+ holds Australia rights and Sky struck a Europe deal for Last King of the Cross at the recent Mipcom Cannes, meaning the show already has access to plenty of potential eyeballs. Home of the influential Underbelly crime drama, Australia has long been a solid producer of premium scripted and Last King of the Cross will seek to burnish this reputation globally.