“ Your bear minds burn in the bodies of men . Sons of the wolf Fenrir break free from your flesh . Wolves will howl in the storm of Ódinn . Warriors will fall as the Bear claw strikes . We will fight to Valhöll ! ‘Til we return to human shape . Fearless, we shall drink blood from our enemies’ wounds . Together we will rage in the battlefields of corpses ! The Father of War commands us- Transform your skin, brothers.
Bill Skarsgård is the latest of the Skarsgård clan to dramatically beef up for a role, following in the footsteps of older brother Alexander, who gained 20 to 30 pounds to play a Viking berserker in The Northman. (See before and after comparisons of the brothers’ journey from sinewy to beefy at the bottom of the post.)
In the forthcoming film Boy Kills World, described as a “dystopian fever dream action thriller,” Skarsgård plays Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he’s trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish fantasies and become an instrument of death.
“This was an incredible journey into something completely new for me,” the actor tells EW exclusively. “I had two months to learn how to pretend how to fight well. [Action coordinator] Dawe Szatarski is a wizard, and he might’ve just pulled it off. The abs I credit to another wizard, my main man Valdemar Fredriksson. I just showed up, slightly late.”
In the exclusive first look above, a buff, shirtless Skarsgård is featured with his fists up, ready to fight. The normally svelt actor underwent a two-month martial arts crash course with Szatarski, a renowned action and fight designer who trained under Jackie Chan’s longtime stunt guru, Brad Allan. Together, they developed “a unique movement style” for the 6 foot 4 actor, whose size and length “help make him an unconventional new-age action star,” a rep for the film tells EW, adding, “You’ve never seen an actor move like this in a movie.”
Other photos: Alexander (left) and Bill Skarsgård in leaner times | CREDIT: PAUL HAWTHORNE/GETTY; MATT CARR/GETTY; Bill (left) and Alexander Skarsgård bulked up for their various roles | CREDIT: GRAHAM BARTHOLOMEW; AIDEN MONAGHAN/FOCUS FEATURES
A release date for Boy Kills World has yet to be announced.
From punishing landscapes to brutal fight scenes, learn how The Northman pushed Robert Eggers and Alexander Skarsgård to their limits on the first episode of After The Movie with Dave Karger. ️
Watch the film and then join the conversation: watchthenorthman.com
Uploaded May 17, 2022 on Focus Features YouTube page
Deciding first on a Viking story was a major hurdle for actor and producer Alexander Skarsgård, although he knew that he wanted to do something with the Norse sagas. But The Northman wasn’t just any passion project for Skarsgård, who describes the Vikings as an “integral part of life in Scandinavia.” So much so that as a child, he suggested to his parents to name his younger brothers with Norse names when they were born, both of which stuck (if only as middle names). For his brother Gustaf, Alexander suggested orm, or “snake,” and for his other brother Sam, the Norse ice giant Ymer felt appropriate. Although there were moments that both physically and mentally required every last bit of self-perseverance, the hope of achieving anything close to Eggers and Jarin’s storyboard was just the motivation he needed to keep going and to create a“really beautiful scene.”
Were there any qualities of the Vikings or their behavior that you immediately knew you wanted to either avoid or play up?
I knew that I wanted to avoid clichés about the heroic Vikings, which would not have made for an interesting character to me—not as an actor or from my personal point of view. And we all wanted to make these characters seem complex. There are a few moments in the movie where you’re not sure who you’re rooting for anymore, because the antagonist either has qualities or does things that you might sympathize with, or the protagonist does stuff that you find horrific and appalling. Vikings weren’t that heroic in real life; there was actually a lot of infighting among them. But they’ve still been appropriated in such a way that everybody now imagines the Vikings were out to conquer and expand Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. ‘That sort of national pride didn’t exist at the time: You could be loyal to your chieftain, or you could have stabbed him in the back. The Vikings were opportunists, and settling in Iceland gave them a great opportunity to enrich themselves, their families, and their loved ones. But they had no sense of national pride, so that motivation is not in our movie. The Vikings were all about family, not about country.
How would you say that your understanding of Amleth and his story changed as you acted over the course of filming?
We shot a lot of smaller scenes during the first week or two of the shoot with a lot of mundane scenes on Fjölnir’s farm that ultimately lead into the movie’s bigger set pieces. It gave me a good opportunity to get to know Rob and Jarin and to better understand how they work. By the time we shot the movie, we’d already been developing The Northman with Rob for about
four or five years. But still, those first few days were the first time that we were together on a movie set, and I saw how Rob and Jarin shot every scene with one camera. Every scene is like a dance between the actors and the camera. I’m not used to that. On most movies, you have a couple of cameras, or at least a couple of different shots per scene, so you have greater flexibility later on [to use the best shots). Rob and Jarin’s approach is incredibly technical and precise. For The Northman, they had a storyboard for each scene six months before we shot it, so it’d be completely lit and set up by the time we’d go to a location. There was no room to improvise; you kind of had to make it work, That can be intimidating, but on day one you have to choose to dive in and be excited about that way of working and to try to bring some life to these extremely specific conditions, even if it is more challenging. The first few weeks of the shoot were great, though, because we got to know each other better and learned how to dance with each other, We then shot the Berserker dance during the shoot’s third week; that’s the scene where the Berserkers transform into their spirit animals. Shooting the scene was cathartic and a nice jumping-off point after two weeks of shooting quiet, mundane scenes on the farm. I’m glad that we only shot that scene after we’d gotten to know each other and how to work better together.
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The Northman: A Call to the Gods is the official look at how this epic Viking revenge thriller was conceived, written, cast, and produced by acclaimed director Robert Eggers.
Set against the ruthless backdrop of tenth-century Norse territory, The Northman is the a new epic Viking revenge thriller by acclaimed director Robert Eggers (The Witch [2015] and The Lighthouse [2019]), featuring an all-star cast including Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and Björk.
Compiled from fascinating interviews with the cast and crew, inspiring storyboards, exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs—including the director’s own firsthand account of his creative processes in writing and directing—The Northman: A Call to the Gods explores the cold and forbidding world of the Vikings, their customs, traditions, and relentless thirst for battle and vengeance that inspired Eggers to write this compelling Norse saga.
Learn how the wardrobe department recreated the intricate chain mail armor and costumes of Viking berserkers and warriors; delve into the research behind the art department’s visual inspiration for replicating the villages of Hrafnsey and Freysdalur; and get the inside scoop on the challenges the cast encountered when creating the iconic characters of Amleth, Olga, Queen Gurdrún, and the Seeress. The Northman: A Call to the Gods is the perfect companion for both film fans and anyone interested in Viking history and legends.
PROFILE OF AN AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR: Using acclaimed director Robert Eggers’ own firsthand account, The Northman: A Call to the Gods delivers a revealing profile of his inspirations, and his creative process.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPHS: Explore dozens of photographs of the set, crew, director Robert Eggers, and the award-winning cast, including Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and Björk.
GO BEHIND THE SCENES: Delve into never-before-seen storyboards and set designs that give a glimpse into the fascinating art and craft of filmmaking.
PERFECT FOR FILM ENTHUSIASTS: The Northman: A Call to the Gods is the perfect gift for movie fans and anyone interested in Viking legend and lore.
Thanks to Sjón for tagging me in his post on Instagram! My transcription of this page. Photos by Aidan Monaghan / Focus Features. All photos via the pre-order page on Amazon.com.
Alexander Skarsgård and Robert Eggers interview with Laura Harding about THE NORTHMAN.
It appeared in several newspapers in the UK (this one was the Sunday Sun, dated April 17, 2022) and the interview also appeared on irishexaminer.com (below)
My digital scans. Photos by Michael Campanella and Jeff Spicer (Getty) and Aidan Monaghan / Focus Features.
Alexander Skarsgard: ‘I had never seen an epic Viking film told in an accurate way’
While filming The Northman, the Swedish actor had to bare his body to the Irish elements, but he reckons it was worth it to create a film that’s already getting rave reviews
TUE, 12 APR, 2022 - 20:00; LAURA HARDING
There were moments when Alexander Skarsgard was standing in the driving rain and howling wind, covered in mud, that he really called into question the reasons why he had wanted to make a Viking movie.
“I asked myself that question every day on set. Why did I want to do this?” he admits with a rueful smile.
But 45-year-old Skarsgard, the Swedish actor who made his name on vampire series True Blood and since carved out a career in films such as The Diary Of A Teenage Girl,The Legend Of TarzanandGodzilla Vs Kong, and shows such as Big Little Lies,The Little Drummer Girl and Succession, had passionately wanted to tell a Viking story on the big screen.
That dream becomes a reality with The Northman, an action epic based on the ancient Norse saga of a young Viking prince named Amleth – who embarks on a quest to kill his uncle, rescue his mother and avenge his father’s murder.
“I had never seen a great big, epic Viking adventure film that was told in a historically accurate way, that would go deep into the Norse mythology in a serious manner – that’s really why I wanted to make it,” Skarsgard says.
“I was working for a couple of years on a couple of different ideas, trying to figure out which of the Icelandic stories to base it on, or if we should come up with something original, something completely different.”
But then Skarsgard had lunch with the US filmmaker Robert Eggers, the director of acclaimed and disturbing movies The Witch, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, and The Lighthouse, starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe.
“We were supposed to talk about something else,” Skarsgard recalls, “but he had just come back from Iceland, with no intention of making a Viking movie. “But he had fallen in love with the island and the culture and Norse mythology, so we started talking about Scandinavia, Viking culture, and we ended up talking about that for two hours. After that, it just felt like fate brought us together. We were meant to do this.”
But Eggers, 38, who had never made a movie on this scale before, had some serious reservations about making a Viking film, and in fact was deeply concerned by many of the associations that come with them.
“I was initially not interested in Vikings. The macho stereotype and the right-wing misappropriation of Viking culture made me not excited about them,” the director says. “But I took a trip to Iceland and the landscapes were so incredibly powerful and inspiring that they made me want to pick up Icelandic sagas, and I started to get interested in Viking culture through that.
“Then I had lunch with Alexander Skarsgard, and from there I discovered this Nordic myth of Amleth, which inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and I thought, ‘This is the story everybody knows, everyone can relate to, and I can make a large movie for a big audience while still indulging and exploring Viking culture and mythology’.”
Eggers was particularly anxious not to glorify or celebrate the violence that is often associated with Viking culture, in particular sexual violence. “You really have to consider every choice you’re making very carefully,” he says. “I only allude to sexual violence, I don’t show it. As far as the other physical violence goes, it’s tricky, because it is a culture that celebrates the violence.
“The sagas often read like action movies from the Eighties in their fight scenes. This is a big popcorn movie, it’s a tent-pole action movie, so there are times when the violence does need to be entertaining and thrilling, but I also don’t want to be glorifying violence, I don’t want to be celebrating violence.”
The shoot, which took place outside in the unforgiving climate of Ireland and Northern Ireland, was a gruelling experience, especially for Skarsgard, who transformed his body for the role and spends much of the film either soaking wet, covered in mud, or both.
“It was brutal, but I think it had to be,” the actor says. “It’s a Robert Eggers film, and it’s a Viking movie, so of course we had to be in the mud, we had to shoot it out there on a mountaintop, and not on a soundstage, and I actually think it helped.
“It was helpful as an actor to be out there in the elements on a real set, that was built a year prior to shooting in order for it to grow in and age properly, and done in a way that was historically accurate. It was tremendously helpful.
“So, it was about diving in and existing on that mountaintop, with the wind and the rain and everything, and not trying to fight it, but just embrace it and enjoy it. Hopefully the audience will feel that we’re actually out there and it feels more immersive.”
The Northman is released in cinemas on Friday, April 15
The Northman sketch to screen, drawing by Robert Eggers
Willem Dafoe as Heimer the Fool Claes Bang as Fjölnir the Brotherless Nicole Kidman as Queen Gudrún Ethan Hawke as King Aurvandil War Raven Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth
If you are not watching Alexander Skarsgård on the biggest screen possible in THE NORTHMAN, I honestly don’t know what you are doing with your time or your money.
NEW - THE NORTHMAN on Digital 6/6, 4K and Blu-ray 6/7
via @thenorthmanfilm on Instagram: Robert Eggers’ thrilling Viking saga is a “visually stunning experience” (Epic Film Guys) and is yours to own for the first time on Digital 6/6, 4K and Blu-ray 6/7 with bonus features http://uni.pictures/TheNorthman
From visionary director Robert Eggers comes The Northman, an action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father’s murder. With an all-star cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.
Special Features
Deleted and Extended Scenes An Ageless Epic The Faces of Vikings Amleth’s Journey to Manhood Shooting the Raid Knattleikr Game A Norse Landscape Feature Commentary with co-writer/director Robert Eggers
In addition to deleted and extended scenes, check out all the exclusive bonus features available on digital, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD below:
AN AGELESS EPIC - “An in-depth look at how filmmakers, cast, and crew immersed themselves in Norse history and mythology in an effort to make THE NORTHMAN the most accurate Viking epic ever filmed.”
THE FACES OF VIKINGS - “The cast of THE NORTHMAN, alongside director Robert Eggers, discuss the depth of the characters and their experiences working together.”
FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR ROBERT EGGERS
The exclusive collector’s edition, available on digital, 4K UHD, and Blu-ray, will also include:
AMLETH’S JOURNEY TO MANHOOD - “Aurvandil’s initiation of Amleth into manhood is one of the most pivotal points on his journey. Take a deeper look at how filmmakers and cast crafted this mysterious ritual.”
SHOOTING THE RAID - “Go behind-the-scenes of the raid and learn how different departments worked together to pull off this intricate sequence.”
KNATTLEIKR GAME - “Learn all about this little-known game, how the scene was filmed, and why it’s an essential moment for Amleth.”
A NORSE LANDSCAPE - “We explore the spectacular shooting locations of THE NORTHMAN and discuss how filmmakers were able to overcome the unique challenges of shooting the film in Northern Ireland.”
NEW - The May 2022 issue of British Cinematographer features a cover with Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth in THE NORTHMAN.
In their cover story special, they talk to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke to find out more about his time lensing The Northman.
He discusses investigating new techniques, learning valuable lessons, and working alongside director Robert Eggers to bring the actioned-packed historical epic to life.
This is their 111th edition and is available to purchase for digital, but the print issues have already been distributed. Details
Inspired by this quote by Tony Stamp for Flicks.com.au:
Alexander Skarsgård is perfect casting, not just because of his absurdly swollen physique (looking at his shoulders in this movie is visually confounding), and not just because of his ability to become animalistic (emulating a bear in certain scenes to terrifying effect), but because when he’s called on to regress back to childhood, it’s uncanny. His eyes widen and his boyish face emerges, and it’s like you’re watching him shrink.
NEW/old video of Alexander Skarsgård and Trainer Magnus Lygdbäck on set of THE NORTHMAN.
Video from magnuslydgback (shared May 20, 2022 on Instagram): People always ask me if sticking to a diet for a whole shoot is hard..To be honest, there’s not much to it ♂️
