Star-studded cast from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines takes centre stage.
Viu has announced that the 10-episode second season of Endemol Shine Group’s The Bridge, produced by the streaming service and in association with HBO Asia Originals, aired on Viu, HBO GO and HBO across Asia on June 15. One new episode of the production is available every week.
The award-winning series returns with Singapore’s Rebecca Lim and Malaysia’s Bront Palarae reprising their lead roles. In season two, the cast has been expanded to include talent from Indonesia and the Philippines. Indonesia’s Ario Bayu plays a law enforcement officer with a hidden agenda. Rounding out the impressive regional cast are 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. TJ Lee and Jason Chong return to direct, alongside Zahir Omar.
Adapted from the original Endemol Shine series and injected with local flavour, the story picks up a year after season one. A yacht registered in Singapore drifts ashore in Johor with a deceased 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 before, this new season plays with themes of corruption, redemption and revenge and is set against a distinctly Asian underworld backdrop.
Sahana Kamath, Head of Original Production for Viu Indonesia and Malaysia, said: “With this show, we are delighted to bring the best of Asian talent to our audiences across 16 markets. 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. We believe our viewers will enjoy this bolder and more adrenaline-pumping season two of The Bridge.”
Jessica Kam, Head of HBO Asia Original Production, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks & Sales, Southeast Asia, Pacific and China, commented: “WarnerMedia continues to engage our audiences with compelling new original content during these unusual times. 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 even bigger and better. We value our continued partnership with Viu to produce quality pan-regional programming for our fans in Asia.”
Rashmi Bajpai, Executive Director of Asia, Endemol Shine International, added: “We are pleased to witness how The Bridge continues to transcend languages and cultures, entertaining audiences around the globe. This Asian version of the show deftly weaves together the cultural, creative, and commercial appeal of storytelling in ways that evoke powerful reactions from audiences.”
The second season of The Bridge is available on Viu in all its markets, as well as on HBO Asia’s network of channels and services, including HBO GO, HBO and HBO ON DEMAND, across 24 territories.
The Bridge was originally created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt as a joint production of Sweden’s Filmlance International, part of Endemol Shine Group, and Denmark’s Nimbus Film. The Bridge (Bron/Broen) was produced in co-production with Sveriges Television, DR, ZDF German Television network, ZDF Enterprises Gmbh, Film i Skåne, NRK, Copenhagen Film Fund, Lumiere Group, Stiftelsen Ystad Österlen Filmfond, Nordvision and in co-operation with Malmö Stad. It has aired in more than 188 territories/countries and spawned localized remakes in the U.K./France, the United States/Mexico, Germany/Austria, Russia/Estonia and Serbia/Croatia.
