The drama series “Whiskey on the Rocks” depicts the submarine drama that put Karlskrona in the center of the world in 1981. The first episode will broadcast on SVT during Christmas Day and on Disney+ on January 22. The series had a sneak premiere at the Stockholm Film Festival where it was very well received
Whiskey on the Rocks, a political satire inspired by real events, is the first Nordic Original series to premiere on Disney+ on January 22, 2025. All six episodes will be released at once. The series is the latest project from the team behind Academy Award-nominated Swedish film The 100- Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared and is a co-production between Swedish national broadcaster SVT and The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic.
In the early hours of October 28, 1981, a Soviet nuclear Whiskey class submarine was spotted aground inside a restricted Swedish military area. The world teetered on the brink of disaster. With global superpowers on edge, the eyes of the world turned to Sweden’s calm and collected prime minister, Thorbjörn Fälldin, a former sheep farmer, who faced the immense challenge of keeping peace between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and U.S. president Ronald Reagan.
“The true story behind Whiskey on the Rocks is both dramatic and absurd, and something we felt would work very well as political satire. The ambition was to use a visual and suspenseful language to contrast and enhance the humor, in a way you rarely see in comedies. Then when it shifts into true suspense we are already in that visual world. And although the events in the series happened more than 40 years ago, looking around the world today, it is frighteningly topical”
says director Björn Stein.
Alongside Rolf Lassgård in the main role as Swedish prime minister, Whiskey on the Rocks stars Elsa Saisio, Anders Mossling, Niklas Engdahl, Filip Berg, Adam Lundgren and Philip Hughes. Also starring is Lithuanian actor Kęstutis Stasys Jakštas as Leonid Brezhnev and British actor Mark Noble as Ronald Reagan.
Stepping into the costume and the environments was amazing. Bengt Fröderberg who is the set designer did such a detailed job so everything looked exactly like being there. Björn Stein was also a very relaxed and permissive director who made you feel welcome. Everything was filmed in Lithuania except for a few scenes that took place in Karlskrona. Being able to be part of a project like this was obviously an honor and I think it will be very much appreciated.
Says Philip Hughes who plays Major Per-Arne Henriksson
With its mix of historical context, humor, and thrilling action, Whiskey on the Rocks is poised to entertain a global audience while shedding light on a lesser known but pivotal moment in history. Watch the trailer!
The series is based on a story by author Jonas Jonasson, who had his breakthrough with the successful novel The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Henrik Jansson-Schweizer (Thicker Than Water, Superswede) is the series’ screenwriter. The director is Björn Stein (Shed No Tears, Midnight Sun), and the producer is Jan Marnell.
Whiskey on the Rocks was shot in Sweden and Lithuania. The series’ 6 episodes will be broadcast on SVT1 during Christmas, 2024. The global premiere date on Disney+ is January 22, 2025 (except Sweden).
