Aksel Hennie was the star of one of last year’s biggest foreign language hits, “Headhunters,” and he’s since cashed in by securing a supporting role in Brett Ratner’s “Hercules” alongside Dwayne Johnson. But Hennie’s next project is “Pioneer,” another Norwegian effort from the same production company behind “Headhunters,” an ’80s-set conspiracy thriller set to the backdrop of the Norwegian Oil Boom.
The film is set for an August release in Norway, but after the success of “Headhunters” and the involvement of Stephen Lang (“Avatar”) and Wes Bentley (“American Beauty,” “The Hunger Games“) among the cast – not to mention the star of another foreign language hit, “Miss Bala” lead Stephanie Sigman – we’d be surprised if this doesn’t get some kind of North American theatrical release. That’s especially the case now that we’ve seen the first trailer, which promises action, explosions and underwater intrigue.
The film’s director, Erik Skjoldbjærg, is probably best known for writing and directing 1997’s “Insomnia,” which was later remade by Christopher Nolan, as well as directing the Christina Ricci-starring “Prozac Nation.” With Stephen Lang among the cast, it’s hard not to think of James Cameron while watching this trailer and everything from “Titanic” and “The Abyss” to the more recently produced “Sanctum.” Could this be a Nordic thriller with a bit of James Cameron influence? Yes, please. [Montages]
