Netflix Orders Anxious People Hostage Comedy

Netflix has announced Anxious People (Folk med ångest), a new Swedish dramedy series based on the book by Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Ove), to be written by Camilla Ahlgren (The Bridge) with Felix Herngren (Bonus Family) on board to direct.

Anxious People is a comedy about a hostage drama that occurs during an open house. A failed bank robber locks himself in with an over-enthusiastic real estate agent, two bitter IKEA-addicts, a pregnant woman, a suicidal multi-millionaire and a damn rabbit. In the end the robber gives up and lets everyone go, but when the police storm the apartment it is empty.

In a series of dysfunctional testimonies afterwards, the witnesses all tell their version of what really happened, whereupon a classic puzzle mystery develops around the questions: How did the robber manage to escape? Why is everyone so angry? And what is wrong with people these days?

Fredrik Backman said: “Felix Herngren is an extraordinary storyteller with a unique sense of comedy who is a dream to work with. Camilla Ahlgren understands the fragile and messy parts of humans and writes real people, not just characters. This book could not be in better hands.”

Director of Netflix Originals Northern Europe, Tesha Crawford added: “It will be exciting to see how comedy and drama will come together in this new series, with Felix Herngren directing and Camilla Ahlgren writing. We really look forward to seeing how they will bring Fredrik Backman’s much loved story to life in a new and thrilling way.”