Asian Adaptation of ‘The Bridge’ Launches Second Season on Viu, HBO Asia

Multi-territory streaming platform Viu, and regional pay-TV operator HBO Asia Monday begin airing a second localized season of Endemol Shine Group’s crime series “The Bridge.” The show is a co-produced Asian adaptation of Nordic noir “The Bridge” (aka “Bron,” aka “Broen”).

The 10-part Asian second season is directed by returning directors TJ Lee and Jason Chong, alongside Zahir Omar.

The new season will be uploaded one episode at a time in Viu’s 16 markets, and on HBO Asia’s network of channels and services across 24 Asian territories. These include HBO Go, HBO and HBO On Demand.

“This second season of ‘The Bridge’ introduces an Indonesian dimension to the Singapore/Malaysia adaptation which escalates the stakes and production value of the established series, making it bigger and better,” said Jessica Kam, head of HBO Asia original production, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks & Sales, Southeast Asia, Pacific and China, in a prepared statement.

The story picks up a year after the end of season one. A yacht registered in Singapore drifts ashore in Johor with a dead Indonesian family on board. Investigating the slew of serial killings that follow, the characters become mired in a web of treachery, deceit and personal tragedy. Darker and more twisted than its forerunner, the new season plays with themes of corruption, redemption and revenge, and incorporates an Asian underworld backdrop.

“This gritty and atmospheric second season returns with an impressive cast from across Southeast Asia. It is a true regional production with more twists and turns, digging deeper into character and moving the action seamlessly across three countries,” said Sahana Kamath, head of original production for Viu Indonesia and Malaysia.

Singapore’s Rebecca Lim and Malaysia’s Bront Palarae reprise their lead roles. The cast has been expanded to include; Indonesia’s Ario Bayu who plays a law enforcement officer with a hidden agenda, Wan Hanafi Su, Fikry Ibrahim and Chew Kin Wah from Malaysia; Lukman Sardi, Amanda Manopo and Miller Khan from Indonesia; Adrian Pang from Singapore; and Joseph Marco from the Philippines.

“The Bridge” was originally created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt, produced as a joint production by Endemol’s Filmlance International and Denmark’s Nimbus Film, and aired in more than 188 territories and countries. Localized remakes have been produced in the U.K./France, the U.S./Mexico, Germany/Austria, Russia/Estonia and Serbia/Croatia.

The Danish/Swedish original was broadcast from 2011. The first season of the Asian remake went on air in November 2018. “We’ve been working on season 2 for a long time, even before we could be sure there would be one,” said producer Min Lim.