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Featuring some of Sweden’s top talent and creatives, the sweeping Viaplay Original crime drama Mafia makes its exclusive debut in the U.S. on the Viaplay streaming service on Thursday, June 19, 2025 in the U.S. and Monday, June 23 in the U.K.. New episodes premiere Thursdays (U.S.) and Mondays (U.K.).

In this powerful six-episode crime series drawing inspiration from actual events, Mafia charts the transformation of Sweden in the 1990s, evolving from a relatively tranquil nation untouched by organized crime into a land marked by intense gang conflicts and violent shootouts. The series follows the life of the notorious gangster and criminal visionary Radovan "Jakov" Jakovic (Peshang Rad, Before We Die, Jana, Gåsmamman, Bäckström), chronicling his journey from poverty to wealth. Against Jakov is police officer Gunn Thörngren (Katia Winter, The Boys, Granite Harbour, Sleepy Hollow, Dexter), the lone cop who sees the looming Mafia menace, hidden in the shadow of cigarette smuggling.

As the story begins, both Gunn and Jakov are underdogs, forced to play a daring game to circumvent their superiors. It's not long before they develop a connection with each other. Each is convinced they are using the other for their own benefit, but their connection will have devastating consequences for both of them.

The plot spans nine years during the 1990s, coinciding with the period when the Yugoslav Wars were happening - when borders were redrawn, even in the underworld of Europe and Sweden. As the millennium approached, some of these criminals established a cigarette smuggling operation that generated billions. Greed accelerated, internal conflicts escalated, and soon Sweden witnesses its first gang war, whose consequences still echo today. The cynical political game is also depicted, where the profits from smuggling help finance various factions in the Yugoslav civil war.

Mafia features a powerhouse international cast led by Rad, Winter,  Helena af Sandeberg (Meaning of Life, Dough) as Helena, Nemanja Stojanovic (Timmer, The Restaurant), as Goran, Jens Hultén (Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, Skyfall)) as Ingvar, Christian Hillborg (The Playlist, Those About to Die) as Pontus, Cedomir Djordjevic (Easy Money, Before We Die, Taelgia) as Drago, and Dragomir Mrsic (Alex, Snabba Cash) as Boris.

Mafia is directed by Mani Maserrat (Young Wallander, Modus) and Tomas Jonsgården (Game of Thrones: Aftermath), with Axel Stjärne (Top Dog, Partisan) serving as the lead writer with renowned Scandi screenwriters Stefan Thunberg (End of Summer, Hunters, Wallander) and Dennis Magnusson (Bäckström, Lords of Chaos) as co-writers.  Mafia (Maffia) is produced by Maria Nordenberg (Before We Die, The Days the Flowers Bloom) for Nexiko. Executive producer is Lars Beckung (The Cake General, Young Royals).

(Viaplay Original series, 6 x 45’series, Swedish, w/English subtitles)

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COMING UP ON VIAPLAY US: 

·       Haaland Conquers England and Haaland Breaking Ground (May 15) – Exclusive interviews with Norwegian sensation and Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland

·       Chaos (May 22) – Akin to a Danish The Morning Show, the series follows the chaotic life and modern love story of a host of a popular morning program

·       Crime Scene Sweden, Season 11 (May 29) - A rare, in-depth look into the murder cases that shook Sweden to its core

·       Max Verstappen – Simply Lovely (Thurs., June 5) – Max discusses his road to a fourth straight F1 title, filled with struggle, both on and off the track.

·       In the Mind of a Criminal, Season 2 (Thurs., June 12) – In-depth look at the criminals behind some of the most notorious crime cases in modern Danish criminal history

·       Mafia (Thurs., June 19) – Sweeping Nordic noir/crime thriller following the violent and epic rise of a visionary crime boss and the lone cop facing the looming Mafia menace; inspired by true events as Sweden goes from peaceful to perilous in the 1990s

About Viaplay U.S.:

The Viaplay streaming service features thousands of hours of premium Nordic and European series and films from Scandinavia's largest and most recognized television/streaming platform. Viaplay’s US content offering focuses on the Nordic region’s high-quality and psychologically penetrating titles: from atmospheric and suspenseful crime dramas and provocative and stylish young adult series to award-winning dramas and riveting documentaries. On par with the best on television, Viaplay series feature first-rate production values, incredible scenery, award-worthy acting, and edge-of-your-seat storylines. Viaplay is available as an add-on subscription on Prime Video Channels, The Roku Channel, Comcast Xfinity, and more for only $5.99 a month. All titles are available in their original language with English subtitles.

Viaplay U.S.: http://amazon.com/video/viaplayus

Viaplay U.K.:  www.amazon.co.uk/channels/viaplayuk