Amazon MGM Studios Nordic originals chief expands remit

Amazon MGM Studios’ head of originals in the Nordics, Emilia Widstrand, is expanding her remit by taking on the responsibilities of former Prime Video Nordic chief Andreas Hjertø.

Widstrand will continue in her current role while also overseeing Prime Video’s operations in the region.

She will lead the local originals slate across both scripted and unscripted, with the regional commissioning team reporting into her.

Hjertø departed earlier this year after five years shaping Prime Video’s presence across the Nordic markets.

He is now launching Pilar Media, a platform designed to connect producers and buyers of finished content. According to local outlet M24.no, the venture is self-financed and backed by Innovation Norway.

Widstrand took on her originals remit at Amazon MGM Studios in September from Karin Lindström, who became group vice president of programming for Warner Bros Discovery Nordics.

Widstrand’s upcoming Nordic slate includes around 20 titles set for 2026, spanning drama, entertainment, and reality formats.

On the scripted side, Prime Video Norway is developing the World War II thriller Rinnan, produced by Miso Film Norway. In Denmark, the platform is launching its first local-language scripted series with police drama Snake Killer, from Nordisk Film Productions, while Sweden’s slate includes the dystopian thriller Wake, produced by Unlimited Stories.

Amazon relaunched Prime Video as a dedicated Nordic service in spring 2021 - a relatively late entry. Despite a deep catalogue and competitive pricing, it has struggled to gain traction against more established competitors.

Netflix, by contrast, entered the region as early as 2012, giving it a significant head start in scale and brand recognition.