Alain Darborg's The Villain of Villains is in the works
- Based on the best-selling book series penned by Swedish YouTube group IJustWantToBeCool and boarded by SF Studios, the feature will hit Swedish theatres in January 2026
SF Studios has boarded the feature film adaptation of The Villain of Villains, based on the best-selling book series by Swedish YouTube group IJustWantToBeCool. The film is helmed by Alain Darborg (The Master Plan [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) with a screenplay penned by Jessika Jankert (Forever).
IJustWantToBeCool, made up of Joel Adolphson, Emil Beer and Victor Beer, has been active for over a decade, creating comedy sketches on YouTube and amassing over 1 million subscribers. In 2022, they released the first book of the aforementioned novel series, which since then has sold over 300,000 copies.
In detail, The Villain of Villains follows 12-year-old rebellious Stephanie, who dreams of becoming a superhero like her late mother but fails the entrance exam to the Hero School. She gets a second chance if she infiltrates the Villain School to retrieve a powerful artefact that's been stolen. At the Villain School, her loyalty is tested, and her search leads her to the Villain of Villains, a malevolent creature threatening the future of both heroes and villains.
The three members of IJustWantToBeCool will star and serve as executive producers. Filming will take place in Stockholm and Lithuania next spring.
“Bringing The Villain of Villains to the big screen is a dream come true for us”, says the online collective. “We never imagined anyone in Sweden would be crazy enough to try to convert the world we’ve built in the books to film. But if anyone can do it, it’s Alain Darborg, who will direct the film. His understanding of our humour and his vision will make it into something truly unique in Sweden, and we’re incredibly excited.”
“SF Studios is immensely proud and excited to back this phenomenal IP and bring it to a broad audience. The world of The Villain of Villains promises a fresh cinematic universe for adventure-lovers both young and old. We foresee many film adventures with this team in the coming years”, comments Yaba Holst, Head of Nordic Acquisition at SF Studios.
“IJustWantToBeCool’s monumental success on platforms like YouTube is virtually unmatched. With their best-selling The Villain of Villains book series, they’ve proven to be brilliant storytellers. Adapting their books into a major theatrical release feels fantastic,” adds producer Nicklas Wikström Nicastro (A Man Called Ove [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).
The Villain of Villains is being produced by Nicastro for Sweden’s Strive Stories in collaboration with SF Studios and SVT, and is backed by the Swedish Film Institute. It is slated to premiere in Swedish theatres in January 2026. SF Studios will distribute it across the Nordic countries, whilst Reinvent International Sales is in charge of its world sales.
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