Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One in, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) has signed on to direct Working Title Films' adaptation The Snowman, which Martin Scorsese was originally set to direct back in 2011. Martin Scorsese is still attached as an executive producer.

The project is an adaptation of Jo Nesbø's novel, which follows Oslo detective Harry Hole, a loose cannon who is investigating the disappearance of a woman, whose pink scarf is found wrapped around a sinister-looking snowman. Matthew Michael Carnahan initially wrote the script when Martin Scorsese was set to direct, but now Tomas Alfredson will work on a new draft of the screenplay with Søren Sveistrup. The character has been featured in 10 of Jo Nesbø's novels.

Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing for Working Title Films, with Martin Scorsese, Jo Nesbø, Niclas Salomonsson, Liza Chasin and Amelia Granger serving as executive producers.

When Working Title first optioned the novel, the production company envisioned a franchise similar to the Alex Cross series.