The Vikings are Coming!

They've endured badgers and Babyshambles and zombies and now its only fitting a legion of Vikings are due to descend on Film City Glasgow. Latest word is that seafaring friends from the north are to descend on FCG for the next several months as they set up camp and film "Valhalla Rising." This film is to be directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and stars Mads Mikkelsen. Mads Mikkelsen is quite the star in Denmark and is frankly quite a talented actor, having appeared in Sigma's Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, but is better known to US audiences for his turns in King Arthur, and the last James Bond blockbuster, Casino Royale. As good as he was in these films (sooo goood as Tristan! and can I just say ...so bleeping impossibly handsome -------->*thud*) I must say too I really thought he turned in superb performances in films such as Open Heart, Adam's Apples which was very funny I thought, and I just recently saw him in "After the Wedding" which was produced by Sigma's Gillian Berrie.

The Press and Journal reports that an open casting call is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland for the part of a young boy to play a pivotal role besides Mads. The paper saysm"they are looking for a small, slightly-built 13-year-old, no bigger than the average 11-year-old. At the same time, he must be athletic enough to appear in action scenes and must have his sea legs, as much of the film will be shot at sea. The successful applicant will get all the best lines." LOL dunno if that is quite the way to appease the other actors but that is one way to generate interest! :)))

Its was interesting to see that the casting director quoted for this piece is someone named Des Hamilton who has worked with Sigma Film's Kahleen Crawford in the past and helped cast films such as Hallam Foe, Young Adam, Dear Frankie, and Sigmas/Paddy Considines' short "Dog Altogether." The newspaper article quotes Mr. Hamilton saying " “It’s so exciting that Scotland is attracting this kind of co-production.It’s got a budget of £3.5million, which is very healthy these days. The production is in full swing now, and the director is here.For someone who wants to be an actor, this is as good as it gets.It’s a tremendous opportunity and it will be lucrative as well. It will be a good earner for a little kid as well as a leg-up into the industry.”

There is no indication if Sigma will be involved in this at all, or any other crew from past Sigma films will work on the film, this film,which had been rumored for years now as seen on the official Norway website, should be an interesting one.

Mr Hamilton said: “Mads Mikkelsen’s character is a warrior who has had his tongue cut out and the boy communicates for him.”

The casting director has already been round dozens of schools in the west of Scotland in his search for a star. The story is set in the 11th century and Vikings have been living in Scotland for decades.

An expedition sets out to return to Scandinavia but gets lost in fog. They eventually reach an unknown land and think they have died and gone to Valhalla, the Viking equivalent of Heaven. But it turns out to be America.

Further info on the movie can be found here.

Bonus Video: Even though I tend to avoid war pictures, Im mad for history and historical pieces, and the woman who sings in this fan video for Tristan (including Mads in King Arthur) is just wonderful, wish I could sing like that.