Death in Paradise is getting its first international adaptation, set on the Croatian island of Brac. The new series, titled Ubojstvo u raju, will follow an 'out of place' detective named Petar and a local police team including Marina, whose understanding of the island will challenge his usual way of doing things.
New Production and Creative Team
The Croatian adaptation will be produced by a different production company than the BBC series. Producers Bruno Mustic and Ivan Lovrecek told Variety they were "very excited" to bring the show to Croatia, stating: "The series is one of the BBC's most successful programs, and with Ubojstvo u raju we will bring that same blend of murder mystery, humor, warmth and strong sense of place to Croatia. We want to adapt the series to Croatian culture, creating an authentically Croatian world with characters and cases rooted in Adriatic Island life."
BBC Studios Response
Rose Hughes, SVP Global Format Sales at BBC Studios, praised the show's "intriguing murder mysteries and rich local character," adding: "We're delighted to see CGM Films bring the format to Croatia for its first-ever international adaptation, and look forward to seeing how they make it uniquely Croatian against a stunning new backdrop."
Lovrecek told the publication that Death in Paradise has built a loyal audience in Croatia, with viewers familiar with "its world, tone and characters." He added: "But what we particularly love about Death in Paradise is how a proper whodunit is wrapped in sunshine, humour and warmth. For an hour, you're somewhere else. On a grey winter evening, that's pure escapism. That's a big part of why it works all over the world. We are not simply moving the original series to a Croatian location. We want the Croatian environment, culture and relationships to become integral to the stories and characters."
Original Series Success and Recommission
Death in Paradise first aired in 2011, starring Ben Miller, followed by Kris Marshall, Ardal O'Hanlon, Ralf Little, and now Don Gilet in the leading role. The success led to two spin-offs: Beyond Paradise, with Kris Marshall reprising his role as DI Humphrey Goodman, and Return to Paradise, which premiered in 2024 with the first female DI.
The BBC has confirmed Death in Paradise has been recommissioned for another two series. Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: "Death in Paradise is a global phenomenon and we are incredibly proud to have it on the BBC, where it goes from strength to strength. It's with great pleasure that we share the news that we'll be returning to Saint Marie for two more sun-soaked series and Christmas specials."
Tim Key, Executive Producer at Red Planet Pictures, commented: "We remain incredibly proud of the show and the team that makes it, and delighted that the audience continue to love it as much as we do. The response to our latest series has been wonderful and we can't wait to get started again - we've got something very special lined up to kick off our 16th season, with a big surprise setting it up in our Christmas special. Watch this space..."
Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
