Magnolia picks up 'Ragnarok'

By Dave McNary / Variety

20-02-2013

 

Magnolia has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the upcoming Norwegian action-adventure "Ragnarok" from TrustNordisk.

Magnolia concluded the deal during the European Film Market in Berlin following a three-minute promo screening. It's the second such deal at Berlin for the distrib, which announced on Feb. 14 that it had picked up U.S. rights to Norwegian thriller "Pioneer" as a pre-sale, following a promo screening.

Magnolia has previously released Norwegian films including "Headhunters" and "Troll Hunters."

Norway's production company Fantefilm, which also produced "The Cold Prey" trilogy, is producing "Ragnarok," starring Pal Sverre Hagen ("Kon-Tiki") as an archeologist. Convinced that the Oseberg Viking ship contains the answer to the mystery of Ragnarok -- the end of days in Norse mythology -- he mounts an expedition to "No Man's Land" between Norway and Russia.

Pic is directed by Mikkel Sandemose and produced by Martin Sundland and Are Heidenstrøm for Fantefilm Fiksjon in co-production with Film i Vast, H. Aschehoug & Co, Ghost VFX and Tre Vanner with support from the Norwegian Film Institute, Nordic Film & TV Fund, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, the Swedish Film Institute, the Media Program of the European Union and i2i Audiovisual.

TrustNordisk handles international sales