22/01/2010

The new Swedish thriller Easy Money [+see also:
trailer
film profile], based on Jens Lapidus’ best-selling novel, hit the jackpot last weekend upon its domestic release. Production company Tre Vänner now plans to adapt for the screen the other two books that along with Easy Money (Snabba Cash) make up Lapidus’ Stockholm Noir Trilogy.

Producer Fredrik Wikström is delighted. The opening of Daniel Espinosa’s thriller surpassed expectations and critics from most leading newspapers gave the film a thumbs up. “We had the same opening figures as the third Stieg Larsson film, even though The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest [+see also:
trailer
film profile] had 40% more screens!” Wikström told Cineuropa. The film sold 113,275 admissions from 125 screens for Nordisk Film.

Easy Money is based on the first eponymous novel by 35-year-old criminal defence lawyer Lapidus, who used his professional experience to describe Stockholm’s underworld. The book sold over 250,000 copies in Sweden in 2006 and was published in 25 countries, including the UK (MacMillan), France (Plon) and Italy (Mondadori). Easy Money, the first part of the Stockholm Noir Trilogy, was followed up by Never Fuck Up (Aldrig Fucka Upp, 2008), while the third instalment is currently being written.

Director Espinosa (Babylon Disease, Outside Love [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) is known for mixing realistic acting and strong visuals. The film features rising star Joel Kinnaman.

According to Wikström, Easy Money has all the ingredients to win over the same readers and cinemagoers who loved the Millennium trilogy. “It develops the Swedish crime thriller trend by being more realistic and telling the story only from the point of view of the criminals,” he said.

TrustNordisk handles world sales and TV rights have been acquired by ZDF and ARTE. The next two films should combine the same artistic and financial team as Easy Money, which was produced for SEK30m (nearly €3m). The second film will probably start shooting in 2011.