The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: 'Bold' and 'contemporary' drama series based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium novels is in the works
The Millennium novels have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is getting a face lift, more than 20 years after the book was first published, and this time it’s Sky taking the helm.
Fans of the bestselling novel will know it was released in 2005, and that it has been adapted multiple times in the past. But Sky has promised a “bold and contemporary” new adaptation.
But why now, and what will be different? Here’s everything you need to know about the new drama series, including what we know so far about the plot, cast, and start date.
Is there a TV series of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?
Sky has announced they have commissioned an original drama series called The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, based on Stieg Larsson’s globally bestselling Millennium novels.
The streaming service describes the series as a “bold and contemporary reimagining” that brings The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo into the present day. The upcoming adaptation will ground itself firmly in its characters and “investigate the DNA of Larsson’s Millennium novels” while exploring themes with heightened relevance today. These include violence against women, the failures of investigative journalism, and society’s moral bankruptcy.
Of course, fans of the books and previous adaptations will know that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo follows “tattooed, truculent computer hacker” Lisbeth Salander as she investigates a cold case from 40 years before.
A synopsis tells us: “Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Although no one ever found her body, her uncle remains convinced that someone murdered her. Worse still, he believes the killer belongs to his own tightly knit but deeply dysfunctional family.
“He hires disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and tattooed computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate the case. When the pair connect Harriet’s disappearance to a series of grotesque murders from four decades earlier, they begin to uncover a dark and appalling family history.”
How many episodes is it?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an eight-part Sky Original series. Left Bank Pictures (The Crown, Dept Q) produces the show, drawing from Stieg Larsson’s globally bestselling novels.
Each episode is expected to run for approximately an hour.
When will The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo be released on Sky?
Cast and crew will begin production in Lithuania in spring 2026.
As a result, viewers should not expect the series to arrive on Sky before 2027.
Is it based on a book?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remains one of the most famous Scandinavian novels of the past 100 years.
The book originally appeared in Swedish under the title Män som hatar kvinnor, which translates as Men Who Hate Women. Swedish author Stieg Larsson wrote the psychological thriller, and publishers released it posthumously after he died of a heart attack in 2004.
Publishers translated the novel into English in 2008, after which it became an international bestseller. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo launched the Millennium series, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
Two novels followed – The Girl Who Played with Fire in 2006, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest in 2007.
Who is in the cast of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on Sky?
Sky has not yet announced the cast, as the production remains in its early stages. However, attention will inevitably focus on the actors chosen to play Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist.
What we DO know is that Behind Her Eyes’ Steve Lightfoot and Angela LaManna will write and executive produce the series.
What other adaptations have there been?
There have been multiple adaptations of the books. First of all there was the Swedish-language trilogy of films starring Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth. They were all released in 2009, followed by the 2010 TV series Millennium.
Later came the the glossy Hollywood version directed by David Fincher. The 2011 movie starred Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander opposite Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist.
Lisbeth Salander has been played by three different actresses, including Claire Foy. She played the role in the newest version of the film The Girl in the Spider’s Web.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web is the fourth novel in the Millennium series, but was not written by Stieg Larsson. Instead Swedish journalist David Lagercrantz took over.
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