The crime thriller opened to number one in Denmark last weekend with 32,176 admissions in four days from 94 screens for Nordisk Film making it the biggest Norwegian opener ever in Denmark. "I was so excited when the film became the second biggest Norwegian opener in Norway [after Max Manus], but I'm even more thrilled with the Danish results. It shows that we've succeeded in our marketing strategy which was to market the film as a Nordic thriller," said Lone Korslund, (pictured) Nordisk Film's Nordic Acquisition manager.
Just like the Millennium films, Headhunters was co-produced by the Swedish crime specialist Yellow Bird, who worked hand in hand with Nordisk Film and Norwegian production house Friland Film to raise its profile from a pure Norwegian film to a Nordic event movie. The brand name of crime author Jo Nesbø and quality creative team also contributed to the film's box office appeal. "Ultimately, the most important is that Headhunters is a very good film, and it did receive excellent reviews in the Norwegian and Danish press," continues Korslund. Nordisk Film's executive refused to give any figure on the film's P&A budget for the Norwegian and Danish release, but mentioned 'Hollywood blockbuster levels'. "It was a major risk for us, especially in Denmark" she acknowledged. The film opens today on 15 screens in Finland and will reach Sweden on November 4 where it will have a wide release with 60 prints.
Hanne Palmquist, head of Nordisk Film & TV Fond who supported Headhunters is keen to stress the higher number of Nordic films in recent years that have successfully crossed over borders. "We have come much further in creating a Nordic market for big ambitious high quality features, whether they are Swedish (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Danish (In a Better World) or Norwegian (Headhunters)."
Nordisk Film's next potential Nordic blockbuster is Peter Flinth's Nobel's Last Will, based on Lisa Marklund's best-selling eponymous novel about crime reporter Annika Bengtzon (Malin Crepin). The Yellow Bird production will hit Swedish screens in February 2012 and Danish screens in June 2012. Then the Norwegian/UK adventure epic Kon tiki by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg is set to sail back on home screens in September 2012.