Joel Kinnaman and Tobias Santelmann to Headline Netflix Series ‘Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole’

Hot off the reveals from Netflix’s Nordic division earlier in the year, we’ve got more details on what was originally called Harry Hole. As Netflix announced today, the project has a new name in the form of Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole, with Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman, and Pia Tjelta set to star. 

The new series will be an adaptation of Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series of crime novels, which started in 1997 and as of 2023 has 17 books so far. The story centers around Harry Hole, a Norse detective who is very effective at his job, yet very introverted.

The series is created by Jo Nesbo himself and he will also serve as screenwriter. Øystein Karlsen will direct. The series is produced by production company Working Title, and will shoot on location in Oslo. Principal photography begins on May 23 for a 2026 release.

The first season of the Netflix series will adapt the 2003 novel The Devil’s Star where Hole investigates a series of serial killings and suspects a fellow policeman of criminal activity. Here’s the official logline for the season:

Throughout the first season, Harry goes head-to-head with his long time adversary and corrupt detective Tom Waaler. Harry is a brilliant but tormented homicide detective who struggles with his demons. As the two navigate the blurred ethical lines of the criminal justice system, Harry must do all he can to catch a serial killer and bring Waaler to justice before it is too late.

Actor Tobias Santelmann (Exit, The Arctic Convoy) will play the lead character, detective Harry Hole.  He will be joined by Joel Kinnaman (Altered Carbon, The Suicide Squad) as Tom Waaler and Pia Tjelta (Made in Oslo) as Rakel Fauke.

Author Jo Nesbø commented in a press release:

“I’m guessing that all readers of the book series have their own vision of what Harry Hole would look like, and they should be allowed to keep that. We will create a Harry that is based not only on the books but someone based on the actor Tobias Santelmann and everyone involved in this project – both in front and behind the camera. For me, storytelling isn’t about serving people what they think they want, but what they didn’t know they wanted. We will try to create something fresh, exciting and surprising with respect to the book version of Harry.”

Tobias Santelmann shared his statement as well:

“I am incredibly grateful for the trust I have been shown in getting to play Harry Hole. I am very much aware of the huge global fan base and the millions of readers who love the character. For me, it is about creating a Harry that people can both recognize and be surprised by. I can’t wait for the shoot to start. It will be a true pleasure to work with everyone.”

Previously, Harry Hole was portrayed by Michael Fassbender in the 2017 movie The Snowman, directed by Tomas Alfredson. The movie didn’t perform very well at the box office as well as among critics with only %7 on Rotten Tomatoes, and never got a sequel.

Are you excited for the Harry Hole series? Let us know in the comments!