Soccer Star Erling Haaland to play animated viking in Film Debut
Norwegian soccer celebrity Erling Haaland is making his debut movie, enjoying (natch) a Viking in Viqueensthe upcoming animated movie from fellow Norwegian Harald Zwart (The Karate Kid, Agent Cody Banks), The Hollywood Reporter you will have realized.
Haaland will voice an animated model of himself, a Viking referred to as Haaland, in the movie, described as an animated adventure-comedy set in a “world of fearless warrior girls, icy fjords, and Silk Road mythology.”
For Haaland followers that casting may hardly be extra apt. 6’5″ and statuesque, with a muscular physique, large attacking velocity and shoulder-length block locks, the Norwegian striker has lengthy been in contrast to a Viking warrior. Just 25, Haaland is already a legend of the game. He holds the single-season objectives report in England’s Premiere League (36 objectives in his 2022–23 season for Manchester City) and was the quickest participant in historical past to rating 100 objectives, hitting the profession landmark in simply 105 matches.
“As a Norwegian storyteller making a Viking adventure for a global audience, having Erling Haaland join ViQueens feels incredibly exciting,” said Zwart. “Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless, and uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”
Brit pop singer Rita Ora and actress Ella Purnell star in ViQueens, voicing the leads, Hedvig and Ingrid, two rebellious Viking ladies who defy custom to embark on an epic cross-cultural journey from Norway to China. Ora has lent her voice to the character of Wondering Blade in the Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight aninmate sequence and was in the voice solid of Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. Purnell is best-known for her roles in TV sequence Yellowjackets and fallout but additionally voiced Jinx in the hit animated sequence Arcane.
Other solid members together with Steve Speirs (Star Wars – Episode One: The Phantom Menace) as King Erik, Anton Lesser (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) as his scheming brother Lars, and British comic and TV character Alan Carr because the Bard, a lyrically-challenged royal scribe. Acclaimed composer Christophe Beck (Frozen, Frozen II, Buffy The Vampire Slayer TV sequence) is writing the unique rating for the movie.
Zwart is directing ViQueens, with Veslemøy Ruud Zwart of Norway’s Zwart Arbeid (The twelfth ManT.he Mortal Instruments: City of Bones) producing for Karve animation.
ViQueens is Zwart’s first animated function. The Dutch-Norwegian director has moved between US and European options for many of his profession, mixing local-language movies together with World War Two drama The twelfth Man (2017) and entries in Norwegian soccer comedy franchise Long Flat Balls with Hollywood fare like fantasy journey The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) and 2010 The Karate Kid reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.
ViQueens is at the moment in manufacturing. Sola Media is dealing with worldwide gross sales. The firm first pitched the challenge to patrons with an unique teaser on the American Film Market final yr, and will likely be wanting to safe main territory pre-sales on the Cannes Film Market this week.
Getting Haaland on the ViQueens crew is for certain to increase the challenge’s international attraction. He is among the world’s most recognizable athletes with a world fan base, together with greater than 40 million followers on Instagram.
“Erling Haaland transcends sports – he’s a global cultural figure,” notes Solveig Langeland, Managing Director of Sola Media. “His involvement brings another exciting dimension to a film that already combines international adventure, humor, and emotional storytelling in a way we believe will resonate with audiences everywhere.”
ViQueens is govt produced by Torgeir Sanders of Gimpville (Troll, Troll Hunter), Robert Chandler of Space Age Films (The Amazing Maurice, The Canterville Ghost), Peter Clausen of OPCM (lilyhammer, Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole), Andrew Williams of Vamonos, Rasmus Ramstad of Rumba AS, and Langeland.
The movie is slated for supply in late 2026, with a house territory launch deliberate for this Christmas.
