Look, if you’ve just stumbled into the basement of Copenhagen’s police headquarters (or Edinburgh’s, thanks to Netflix), you’re probably asking yourself one thing: how many Department Q movies are there actually? It’s a messier answer than it should be. Most people think they can just click through a single trilogy on a streaming service and call it a day, but that’s barely scratching the surface of what Jussi Adler-Olsen’s gritty world has to offer.
The short answer? There are six Danish-language feature films released so far, with a seventh arriving in 2026. But it’s not just a straight line. There’s a massive "reboot" split in the middle that confuses everyone, plus a brand-new high-budget Netflix series starring Matthew Goode that basically hit the reset button in 2025.
If you're trying to figure out which ones to watch, who the "real" Carl Mørck is, or why the actors suddenly changed halfway through the series, you've come to the right place. Let's break down the timeline, the drama behind the scenes, and what’s coming next for the world’s most cynical cold-case unit.
The Original "Big Four" (The Zentropa Era)
Most fans started their journey here. From 2013 to 2018, the production company Zentropa released four movies that defined the "Nordic Noir" aesthetic for a global audience. These films stars Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the brooding Carl Mørck and Fares Fares as his much-needed moral compass, Assad.
They are, in order:
✨ Don't miss: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
- The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)
- The Absent One (2014)
- A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
- The Purity of Vengeance (2018)
The Purity of Vengeance (also known as Journal 64) was an absolute juggernaut. It became the highest-grossing Danish film of all time at the local box office. You’d think they would keep that momentum going, right? Nope. That’s where things got weird.
Why the Actors Changed: The Great Reboot
If you've ever wondered why there's such a jarring shift between the fourth and fifth movies, it comes down to a classic case of "author vs. studio." Jussi Adler-Olsen, the man who wrote the books, wasn't exactly thrilled with how Zentropa was handling his characters. He felt they were straying too far from his vision.
Once the rights for the first four books expired, he took his business elsewhere—to Nordisk Film.
This meant a total recast. Out went Lie Kaas and Fares. In came Ulrich Thomsen (from The Celebration and Banshee) and Zaki Youssef. It’s a tough transition for fans. You get used to one face, and suddenly, the chemistry you loved is replaced by a totally different vibe. Thomsen’s Mørck is arguably closer to the book version—older, crankier, and even more exhausted with life—but for many, the "Original Four" are the definitive versions.
🔗 Read more: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
Since the switch, we've had two more movies:
- The Marco Effect (2021): This one deals with a boy caught in a web of corruption and human trafficking.
- Boundless (2024): A weird, cult-focused mystery set on a Danish island.
How Many Department Q Movies Are There Right Now?
As of early 2026, the count stands at six completed Danish feature films. However, the seventh film, The Scarred Woman, is slated for release later this year.
If you’re counting the English-language adaptation that premiered on Netflix in 2025, it’s not technically a movie, but a 9-episode series. It covers the events of the first book, The Keeper of Lost Causes, but shifts the setting from Denmark to Edinburgh. So, if you see Matthew Goode’s face on a poster, you’re looking at the TV series, not the movies.
The Full Film Chronology (Danish Version)
| Order | Title | Lead Actor | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Keeper of Lost Causes | Nikolaj Lie Kaas | 2013 |
| 2 | The Absent One | Nikolaj Lie Kaas | 2014 |
| 3 | A Conspiracy of Faith | Nikolaj Lie Kaas | 2016 |
| 4 | The Purity of Vengeance | Nikolaj Lie Kaas | 2018 |
| 5 | The Marco Effect | Ulrich Thomsen | 2021 |
| 6 | Boundless | Ulrich Thomsen | 2024 |
| 7 | The Scarred Woman | Ulrich Thomsen | Expected 2026 |
The Netflix Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the 2025 Netflix series because it has completely changed how people find these stories. Scott Frank (the guy behind The Queen's Gambit) took the helm for this. It’s slick, it’s British, and it’s very different.
💡 You might also like: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
In the Netflix version, Assad is renamed Akram (played by Alexej Manvelov). The location change to Scotland works surprisingly well because Edinburgh has that same gloomy, rainy energy as Copenhagen, but it's not a "movie" in the traditional sense. It's a procedural drama that has already been renewed for a second season. Honestly, if you're a purist, the Danish films are still the way to go. There’s something about the language and the specific Danish cynicism that doesn't quite translate to English, even with a powerhouse like Matthew Goode.
Where to Start Watching
If you’re a newcomer, don’t jump into The Marco Effect. You’ll be lost.
Start with the 2013 film The Keeper of Lost Causes. It perfectly introduces the dynamic of Department Q—a basement office where the "annoying" cops are sent to die, only for them to actually start solving the cases no one else could.
The first four movies feel like a cohesive unit. Even though the actors change in the fifth film, the story continuity technically remains. The books go up to ten volumes, and Nordisk Film has already stated they plan to adapt all of them. This means we could be looking at a total of ten Department Q movies by the early 2030s.
Essential Viewing Advice
- Subtitles vs. Dubbing: For the love of cinema, watch the Danish movies with subtitles. The vocal performances of Lie Kaas and Fares are half the charm. Dubbing strips away the grit.
- Streaming Struggles: Depending on where you live, the movies are scattered. In many regions, Viaplay or Prime Video have the rights to the first four, while the newer ones might pop up on more niche international cinema platforms.
- The Book Connection: If you find the movies too fast-paced, read the books. Jussi Adler-Olsen puts a lot of dark humor in the novels that the movies—especially the newer ones—tend to leave out in favor of being "serious" thrillers.
The landscape is definitely changing. With the Netflix series gaining massive traction in 2025 and 2026, the demand for the original Danish films has spiked. Whether you prefer the Zentropa classics or the new Nordisk era, there is plenty of content to keep you busy for a long weekend.
Next Steps to Get Your Fix:
Check your local streaming listings for The Keeper of Lost Causes to begin the original tetralogy. Once you've finished the first four, you can decide if you want to stick with the Danish films through the Ulrich Thomsen reboot or pivot to the Matthew Goode Netflix series for a fresh take on the characters. Just keep an eye out for The Scarred Woman later this year to see how the Thomsen era continues to evolve.