Today Friday 22 November marks the highly anticipated Netflix premiere of The Helicopter Heist, which has already received great praise both in Sweden and internationally.

The reality-based suspense series, directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Ronnie Sandahl, is based on Jonas Bonnier’s novel of the same name. The Helicopter Heist stars Mahmut Suvakci, Ardalan Esmaili, Iskra Kostic, Erik Svedberg-Zelman, Johanna Hedberg and Nina Mårshagen, among others.

“It’s tight, thrilling and believable down to the smallest element. /…/ Above all, the creators succeed in the art of creating drama despite the fact that the outcome is known.”
– DN ★★★★

“The Helicopter Heist should and will be a success for Netflix. /…/ It’s exhilarating, believable, well-acted and sweaty. /…/ Suvakci and Esmaili are excellent individually and together, and Erik Svedberg-Zelman deserves a special mention.”
– Aftonbladet ★★★★

“The Helicopter Heist is a brilliant mini-series that lives up to the high expectations. /…/ Everyone involved have shown top-of-the-line skills in the creation of this mini-series. /…/ The heist around which the whole story revolves makes for superb entertainment, but it is Espinosa and Sandahl’s respect for the series’ characters which is the basis for the high rating and makes the journey worth following over eight episodes.”
– Filmtopp ★★★★

“Merrily sit back and partake in this rollercoaster ride, where ringmasters Espinosa and Sandahl joyfully and skilfully emulate the fairgrounds of Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann and that heist grand-père of them all, Rififi. /…/ Also under the glimmering headlights at centre stage is a plentiful and talented cast. /…/ Even if we know the outcome, it’s still exhilaratingly exciting.”
– Cineuropa

“Erik Svedberg-Zelman gives a masterclass in anxiety as the helicopter pilot. /…/ The standout, however, is Mahmut Suvakci, who might possibly have the most expressive eyes in all of Scandinavia. /…/ Suvacki runs the gamut of human emotions – powerlessness, ambition, despair, hopelessness and love. It’s a truly powerful performance that really ties the various narrative strands together. /…/ Thoroughly well written, directed and performed, this is a fascinating insight into what it takes to pull off one of the most daring crimes in modern Swedish history. /…/ It’s a must watch.”
– Nordic Watchlist

“With the gripping plot and driven by the interesting characters brilliantly played by the actors, The Helicopter Heist is as good as a Netflix action thriller series can get and should definitely be watched by fans of the genre.”
– DMT

Erik Svedberg-Zelman receives the 2024 SkyShowtime Rising Star Award. The jury’s reasoning reads: “This year’s Rising Star is a character actor who completely gives himself to his roles without losing himself. In his latest film, Düsseldorf, Skåne, our winner portrays a young man exploring his identity. A man who outwardly distances himself from the world, but is driven by a need to belong and be loved. His sensitive and uncompromising acting leaves us longing for more and we look forward to Erik Svedberg-Zelman’s journey towards the stars.”

TV4 is turning the so-called ‘Trustor Scandal’ of 1997, one of Sweden’s largest and most infamous fraud cases, into a fast-paced drama series of four parts, starring Erik Svedberg-Zelman in one of the leading roles as Thomas Jisander.

The series, directed by Ivica Zubak and written by Erik Hultkvist, will depict how a British lord and three Swedish businessmen managed to buy the long-established investment company Trustor with the company’s own money – only to then pay out very large bonuses to themselves. Both detested and admired – the story of the affair and the spectacular partying at Stureplan and the French Riviera has continued to fascinate for decades.

“We are now in the process of filming and the ambition is high to deliver a new exciting drama series about the sensational heist. We have a well-written script, a fantastic cast and strong direction, and in addition,the series takes place in many cool 90s locations”, says Jon Mankell, executive producer at TV4.

The series is produced by FLX for TV4 in a co-production with Film i Väst. The filming locations are set in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Croatia.

More details about the series, such as title, full cast and release date will be communicated next year.

Today, Netflix released the official trailer for The Helicopter Heist, the Swedish reality-based suspense series in eight parts which tells the story of the meticulous planning, ingenuity, and nerve that went into pulling off one of the most daring crimes in history.

One early September morning in 2009, eyes from around the world turn to an inconspicuous Stockholm suburb. A helicopter has landed on the roof of the country’s safest cash depot, and the police can only watch as the robbers disappear along with several million dollars. Not a single shot is fired. The Helicopter Heist is a character-driven and emotional story of brother- and fatherhood, but maybe most of all: a grand and fast-paced Icarus tale about winning or losing it all.

The limited series, directed by Daniel Espinosa (conceptual director) and written by Ronnie Sandahl, is based on Jonas Bonnier’s novel with the same name.

The Helicopter Heist premiers globally on November 22nd and stars Mahmut Suvakci, Ardalan Esmaili, Iskra Kostic, Erik Svedberg-Zelman and Nina Mårshagen, among else.

For the sixteenth year in a row, the Stockholm International Film Festival will celebrate new talents in film and TV through the SkyShowtime Rising Star Award. Erik Svedberg-Zelman is one of the six Swedish actors nominated for the prestigious prize.

New this year is that the festival audience can also help choose the winner. The winner, who will be announced at the festival’s award ceremony on November 15, will be rewarded with an exclusive trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025.

Erik Svedberg-Zelman was born in 1996 and spent his early years in the city of New York. At the age of 12, he embarked on a transformative journey, moving to Sweden. Erik possesses the unique distinction of having both Swedish and (American) English as his native languages, a reflection of his Swedish mother and American father. During his adolescence, his passion for skateboarding turned in to a career and took him on a global adventure, competing in various locations all over the world.

Erik’s journey took a new turn when he pursued education at Malmö Theatre Academy, marking the beginning of his exploration into the world of acting. His talent and dedication were evident in numerous theatrical productions at Malmö Stadsteater and the Royal Dramatic Theatre.

One of his notable performances was in the monologue production titled Jag säger ingenting alls at Teater Brunnsgatan Fyra, which was given significant attention for its compelling narrative.

Very soon Erik Svedberg-Zelman can be seen as one of the central figures in The Helicopter Heist, directed by Daniel Espinosa for Netflix. Additionally, he takes on the lead role as Fredrik in Düsseldorf, Skåne, set to premiere globally at Gothenburg Film Festival in January. Moreover, Erik is set to grace the stage at the Royal Dramatic Theatre with the premiere of Svindel-Kärlekens Antarktis, a play by Sara Stridsberg, scheduled to premiere in March 2024.

Erik Svedberg-Zelman’s journey is marked by a seamless transition from the streets of New York to the stages of Malmö and beyond, showcasing his versatility and commitment to the arts.