“Everything We Know about … ” is Paste’s series of deep dives into the forthcoming projects we’re most excited about. Explore them all here.
Between The Lighthouse and his debut The Witch, Robert Eggers has emerged as one of the most ambitious and intriguing directors in the industry today, creating evocative, impeccably researched period pieces that feel prescient. Fans of Eggers’ work will now have a new film to look forward to: The Viking epic The Northman. “You’ve gotta make a viking movie when you get the chance,” the director told Paste last October.
Here’s everything we know about Eggers’ new project so far.
The Northman plot: what will happen?
While not much is known about the plot, we do have a brief logline. The Northman will be a “Viking revenge saga set in Iceland at the turn of the 10th century,” as per Deadline. The film will focus on “a Nordic prince who set outs on a mission of revenge after his father is murdered,” according to IndieWire. Eggers and Sjón, the Icelandic poet and novelist who collaborated on Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark (starring Björk), are co-writing the script, so viewers can probably expect something quite innovative.
The Northman Cast
Speaking of Björk, rumors are circulating that the polymathic singer and Cannes award-winning actress may be joining The Northman’s cast. Although, sadly, those rumors are not yet confirmed, a recent interview with Totally Dublin says that Björk and Eggers were at least in talks to collaborate on the film. If true, The Northman would be Björk’s first feature film in 20 years, since Dancer in the Dark in 2000.
But on to the cast members who are confirmed. The Viking saga will see some familiar faces from Eggers-land. Anya Taylor-Joy, who led Eggers’ debut The Witch, is set to climb aboard. So will Willem Dafoe, most recently a dour star of the endlessly beguiling The Lighthouse. Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang and the Skarsgård brothers, Alexander and Bill Skarsgård, are also set to appear in the production, according to Deadline. Alexander Skarsgård might be up for the role of the prince, while his former Big Little Lies co-star Kidman is in talks to play his mother.
When will The Northman be released?
The Northman will be in theaters 2022 April 22.
“So you got that poster ready for The Northman?”
— Isaac Butler (@parabasis) April 4, 2022
“Yeah, chief! We already printed it and put it in subways all over New York!”
“You made sure the title was on it, right?”
“Uhhhhhhhh….” pic.twitter.com/stFRzeR2Sw
The Northman trailer
The details had been scant on The Northman but in December, Universal gave us a trailer to sink our teeth into:
“I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Fjölnir.”
Chills.
The Northman: Producers & Distributors
Lars Knudsen, a producer of The Witch, is set to reprise his producing duties for The Northman, according to THR. New Regency will be financing the film, as per Collider. The company previously financed The Lighthouse along with A24. IMDb lists Mark Huffam and Arnon Milchan as additional producers, and Alexander Skarsgård as an executive producer, but that is not yet confirmed.
