A Swedish crime thriller about a killer targeting police officers has become Netflix's latest international breakout.
Blood Sacrifice (Blodsoffer in Swedish) shot straight to No 1 on Netflix's global chart for non-English television after its release on August 20, clocking up seven million views in its first four days on the platform.
The five-part series comes from British screenwriter George Kay and stars Jakob Oftebro and Peter Andersson as an estranged father and son drawn together by a brutal murder investigation.
What is Blood Sacrifice about?
Set in Stockholm, the story begins with an emergency call reporting a home invasion at a summer house. Two police officers are sent to investigate but find nobody at the property. The following day, both officers are found dead.
Their murders set off a series of attacks, suggesting someone is targeting members of the police.
Leading the investigation is detective Thomas Berg, played by Oftebro, who is forced to seek help from someone he would rather avoid: his estranged father Alfred, a retired detective played by Andersson.
As the number of victims grows and the attacks move closer to Thomas’s world, father and son must put years of resentment aside to find the killer.
Scandi-noir with family drama at its heart
While Blood Sacrifice has many of the hallmarks of Nordic noir – grisly murders, troubled detectives and a mystery that gradually unravels – Kay has described the relationship between Thomas and Alfred as the heart of the series.
“At its heart, Blood Sacrifice is a love story between an estranged father and son duo, whose work draws them back together – all wrapped up inside a dark, adrenalised Scandi noir crime drama,” he said. “Setting this story in Stockholm, in that strange, haunting light of the Nordic summer, allowed us to build a crime thriller that feels uniquely Swedish and epic.”
Kay already has considerable experience turning European crime stories into global streaming hits. He created Netflix hit Lupin, a French mystery thriller starring Omar Sy, as well as Hijack, an Apple TV thriller starring Idris Elba.
Blood Sacrifice is directed by Kristoffer Nyholm, whose credits include Danish crime drama The Killing and British series Taboo.
Who stars in Blood Sacrifice?
Norwegian actor Oftebro, who leads the cast as Thomas, is known for Scandinavian productions including Hamilton and Stenbeck.
“Playing Thomas was both challenging and incredibly rewarding. It’s a story about justice, loyalty and what happens when the past refuses to stay buried,” he said in a Netflix interview earlier this month.
Andersson, who plays Alfred, appeared in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He said the combination of crime thriller and family drama attracted him to Blood Sacrifice. Playing a detective had a personal resonance, he added, because his son is a police officer.
The wider cast includes Lebanese-Swedish actor Alexander Abdallah, Electra Hallman, Henrik Norlen, Lisette Pagler, Magnus Krepper, Irina Bjorklund, Anders Mossling and Anna-Maria Kall.
How many episodes of Blood Sacrifice are there?
One reason Blood Sacrifice lends itself to a quick binge is its relatively short run.
The first season consists of five episodes, with the opening two running for 48 and 49 minutes respectively.
Why is Blood Sacrifice trending on Netflix?
The series has made an immediate impact internationally.
Released on August 20, Blood Sacrifice amassed seven million views between its debut and August 23, enough to send it directly to the top of Netflix’s global non-English television ranking.
Its success puts the Swedish series alongside a growing number of non-English productions that have found audiences far beyond their home markets on the streaming service. Kay has already achieved international success with the French-language Lupin.
Is Blood Sacrifice based on a true story?
Netflix does not describe Blood Sacrifice as being based on real events. The series is an original crime drama created and written by Kay, with Aron Levander and Emilie Robson also credited as episode writers and Levander handling the Swedish adaptation.
Will there be a Blood Sacrifice season two?
Blood Sacrifice was only released on August 20, but its success in Netflix’s global non-English chart gives it a strong start.
However, there has been no official confirmation from Netflix that Thomas and Alfred will return for another investigation.
