Denmark's Nordisk to distribute DreamWorks in Scandinavia

by Jorn Rossing Jensen

20/09/2012 - Danish major Nordisk Film A/S has clinched a multi-year deal with US studio DreamWorks to market and distribute the company's catalogue in the Nordic countries. First film in the contract will be the remake French-Canadian blockbuster Starbuck, starring Vince Vaughn, which will shoot from next month (October) for a 2013 release.

"The agreement strengthens Nordisk Film's position as the leading distributor in the Nordic countries," said Managing Director Kenneth Wiberg (photo), of Nordisk Film Distribution, which has already partnered with Lionsgate/Summit, Relativity Media and Lava Bear, adding to local producers.

With a 2011 turnover of €334 million, and 1,000 staff in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, Nordisk Film has recently released such international fare as the Twilight franchise and The Hunger Games, with the Millennium trilogy, Headhunters [trailer], A Royal Affair [trailer, film focus], Kon-Tiki [trailer] and Den skaldede frisør (Love Is All You Need) [trailer] among the Nordic titles.

The owner of Denmark's largest cinema circuit, the company - which is part of the Egmont Media Concern - annually launches more than 15 in-house productions or co-productions, and controls several Scandinavian production outfits.

Founded in 1994 by, among others, US director Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks has in later years signed such titles as Shawn Levy's Real Steel (2011), starring Hugh Jackman, Spielberg's own War Horse (2011) which was nominated for six Oscars, and Tate Taylor's The Help, which grossed more than $200 million.