Swedish Cold War Satire Debuts on Disney+ – TV Drama Streamed Online
Disney+ has lined up an exciting new original series called Whiskey on the Rocks, set to debut on January 22. This Swedish Cold War political satire is inspired by true events. The story kicks off when a Soviet Whiskey class submarine runs aground in a restricted Swedish military area on October 28, 1981. This causes tension between the global superpowers, and everyone looks to Sweden’s prime minister, Thorbjörn Fälldin, to navigate the delicate balance between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
The series is headlined by Rolf Lassgård as Fälldin, with Kęstutis Stasys Jakštas portraying Leonid Brezhnev and Mark Noble as Ronald Reagan. The cast also includes Elsa Saisio, Anders Mossling, Niklas Engdahl, Filip Berg, and Adam Lundgren.
Whiskey on the Rocks is co-produced by SVT and The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic. It is based on a story by author Jonas Jonasson and penned by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer. Björn Stein serves as the director.
The show will premiere in Sweden on SVT1 during the Christmas season, before becoming available on Disney+ globally (excluding Sweden) and on Hulu in the U.S. starting January 22. Director Stein explained that the series aims to blend humor and suspense in a visually captivating way, making the historical events from over 40 years ago feel eerily relevant today.
Vibeke Lia, director of programming and production at The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic, expressed enthusiasm about this first Nordic production for Disney+. She highlighted the regional storytelling talent and global appeal of Nordic stories and invited audiences worldwide to experience this unique take on a significant moment in Swedish history.
