Multi-hyphenate artist Axel Åhman is set to take on a uniquely morbid role in the upcoming dark comedy series “Body in the Closet,” produced for Warner Bros. International Television Production Finland.
Known widely as a member of the popular comedy group KAJ, as well as a writer, screenwriter, comedian, musician, and actor, Åhman will star as Staffan, an audience services employee working at a prominent theater. Described as a country boy who has successfully found his way into a major big-city cultural institution, Staffan knows the venue’s history by heart. However, his life takes a complicated turn due to his unrequited crush on a colleague named Betty. Painfully clumsy and entirely tactless in his attempts to approach her, Staffan’s fumbling pursuit ultimately leads to an unusual and bizarre fate: an accidental death by chainsaw.
Yet, death is not the end for Staffan. Rather than disappearing from the narrative, he returns to haunt Betty throughout the course of the series, anchoring the show’s unique blend of dark humor and supernatural elements.
“I found it funny to play a murder victim. I like it when characters meet an unexpected end, and when writers dare to go darker,” Åhman told Variety when discussing his casting and the nature of the project.
Reflecting on the genre, he added, “Comedy is at its funniest when it dances on the borderline of darkness. We don’t see much dark comedy in the Nordics. When I got the chance to participate, I just had to tag along and see where it headed. It’s also a nice challenge to play someone else’s script. I have mainly played characters from my own writing.”
According to producer Mia Oikarinen, Åhman’s extensive background in comedy and writing makes him an ideal fit for both the character of Staffan and the series’ darkly eccentric tone.
“His comic timing and background in writing make him a particularly strong fit for Staffan and for the series’ darkly comic tone,” Oikarinen noted. She added that Åhman was delighted when the production team thought of him for the part, finding immediate amusement in the fact that they envisioned him instantly in the role.
The series is directed by Elin Grönblom, who also co-wrote the script alongside Josefin Sonck. Sonck is attached to star in the lead role as Betty. The creative duo of Grönblom and Sonck are already well-known within the industry for their previous work on projects such as “Bloodsuckers.”
Grönblom expressed a deep affinity for the genre, explaining that it offers creative freedom and a distinct form of escapism. “I like the genre because it allows you to play and have fun. Horror, or in this case, dark comedy with some killing, is also a welcome form of escapism. We like to see characters do things that we ourselves don’t dare to do, and probably shouldn’t,” Grönblom said.
Sonck echoed these sentiments, noting the intrinsic relationship between comedy and horror.
“Both rely on surprise and playing with the audience’s expectations. But this isn’t a ‘horror comedy.’ It’s more about one person’s increasingly desperate life situation, told through dark humor and supernatural elements,” Sonck explained.
“Body in the Closet” is scheduled to begin principal photography next autumn. Svenska YLE, the Swedish-language division of Finland’s public broadcaster YLE, has already boarded the project as a key partner.
Grönblom emphasized that the creative team is naturally drawn to dark humor because it provides a mechanism to examine serious societal and psychological issues through an absurd lens. In the case of this series, the narrative explores themes of egocentrism, self-absorption, and the complex, often fraught relationship between a narcissistic parent and their child.
“Josefin and I are both drawn to dark humor. It allows us to take a serious topic — in this case, egocentrism and the relationship between a narcissistic parent and child — and show its absurdity through humor,” Grönblom stated. “When you can laugh, perhaps uncomfortably, you can also shine a light on something serious from another angle.”
Visually and atmospherically, the series will ground its bizarre supernatural and comedic elements in a realistic environment. Grönblom noted that the show is set against the backdrop of the visually realistic world of a gray Helsinki autumn, contrasting the dreary surroundings with exaggerated characters and fast-paced, highly humorous action.
The narrative specifically centers around the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland, though the creators emphasize that the themes and settings possess universal resonance.
“We belong to this minority as well, but it’s a world that can be recognized anywhere. Especially the theater world with its prejudiced, grandiose characters. Since the theme of the series is egocentrism, what better stage to put them on?” Grönblom asked.
The production team shares a strong confidence in the show’s broader commercial appeal and domestic relevance, anticipating robust international potential.
“All our characters are driven by their own egos and needs, and often fail to see others around them. We laugh at the increasingly absurd situations these horrible people put each other through,” Oikarinen observed. “Sometimes we need to laugh at them to cope with what’s happening around us, especially in this increasingly egocentric — and frankly quite frightening — world.”
Sonck summarized that the series successfully weaves together three distinct storytelling pillars: a timely and universal theme, a suspenseful plot loaded with twists and cliffhangers, and an ensemble cast comprised of eccentric individuals.
“Our series explores self-absorption, the quest for validation, and our attempts to control how we present ourselves to the world,” Sonck concluded. “The theater becomes a symbolic setting for these themes. But it’s also a place where secrets are brought into the spotlight.”
