'The Northman' Most Accurate Viking Tale Ever Told — Director Robert Eggers

The Northman director Robert Eggers is convinced that his new star-studded revenge movie is the most accurate portrayal of Viking culture and mythology.

Set in 895, the film stars Alexander Skarsgard as Viking prince Amleth, who flees his home in the North Atlantic after his uncle (Claes Bang) brutally kills his father, King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke).

Years later, Amleth, disguised as a slave, travels to Iceland where his uncle and mother, Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) now live, to avenge his father's murder and to rescue his mother.

Along the way, the protagonist meets a mysterious woman, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), with whom he forms the first real human connection since his childhood.

"There really hasn't been an accurate Viking movie ever before, and I was working with the greatest historians and archaeologists in the field and, one thing is for sure, this is the most accurate Viking movie that's ever been made," Eggers told Reuters at the film's London premiere.

The Northman is produced by Skarsgard, who had spent several years developing a Viking epic before meeting Eggers.

"It's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid growing up in Sweden, surrounded by runestones," he said.

Skarsgard went through a physical transformation to play the burly Viking, working with his Tarzan trainer Magnus Lygdback.

"When Amleth transforms from his human state to his spirit animal, he becomes a hybrid of a bear and a wolf, so it was important to bulk up a bit and get a bit bigger," he said.

The movie's violent, large-scale action scenes were a first for Eggers, who has previously directed two feature films, The Lighthouse, and The Witch. It involved meticulous planning and organisation to keep his hundreds of extras, stunt performers, and animals on track.

The film, which also features Icelandic singer Bjork in her first big-screen appearance in 17 years, is to be released in movie cinemas on April 22, 2022.

Watch the trailer below: