The Last Viking (2025 film)

The Last Viking
Danish theatrical release poster
DanishDen sidste viking
Directed byAnders Thomas Jensen
Written byAnders Thomas Jensen
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySebastian Blenkov
Edited by
  • Anders Albjerg Kristiansen
  • Nicolaj Monberg
Music byJeppe Kaas
Production
companies
Release dates
  • 30 August 2025 (2025-08-30) (Venice)
  • 9 October 2025 (2025-10-09) (Denmark)
Running time
116 minutes
Countries
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
Languages
  • Danish
  • Swedish
Box office$560,318[1]

The Last Viking (Danish: Den sidste viking) is a 2025 black comedy film written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen. It stars Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Mads Mikkelsen. The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 30 August 2025. It received a theatrical release in Denmark on 9 October 2025.

Premise

While serving a 15-year prison sentence for bank robbery, Anker entrusts his brother, Manfred, to bury the heist money in the forest by their mother's house for safekeeping. Upon his release, Anker is frustrated to find that Manfred has since developed dissociative identity disorder (DID) with suicidal tendencies and cannot recall where he hid the money bag.[2][3]

Manfred is shown to have multiple personalities such as believing himself to be John Lennon, a member of the English rock band The Beatles. When addressed as "Manfred" - and not as "John" - he hurls himself through the nearest open window or does some other harm to himself.

On one drunken night, Anker meets psychiatrist Lothar who devises a plan to cure Manfred by letting him play out his personality as John Lennon with mental patients who identify as the other members of The Beatles. Once he regains his sobriety the next morning, Anker rejects this plan.

Anker then attempts to refresh Manfred's memory by travelling to their mother's house, assuming that Manfred buried the money at a specific spot in the forest as Anker instructed him 15 years prior.

Cast

Production

Originally titled Back to Reality, the film marks the sixth collaboration between Anders Thomas Jensen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, and Mads Mikkelsen, preceded by Riders of Justice, Adam’s Apples, Flickering Lights, The Green Butchers, and Men & Chicken.[4] Principal photography began on 19 August 2024.[5] Filming took place over seven weeks in Denmark and Sweden, specifically in Funen and a forest near Tollered.[6]

Release

TrustNordisk owns the international sales rights to the film, which was pre-sold to Neue Visionen for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; September Film for the Benelux; Plaion for Italy, Estinfilm for the Baltics; Vertigo Média for Hungary; Best Film for Poland; Film Europe for the Czech Republic and Slovakia; and September Film Rights for Singapore.[4][7] On 10 February 2025, the film was acquired by Starcat Cable Network for Japan.[8] On 12 May 2025, the film was acquired by Avalon for Spain, Videorama for Greece, and Beta Film for Bulgaria.[7] On 19 September 2025, the film was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for distribution in the United States.[9]

A promotional clip was released on 29 August 2025.[10] The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 30 August 2025.[11] It received a theatrical release in Denmark on 9 October 2025.[12]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 16 critics' reviews are positive.[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[14]

References

  1. ^ "Den Sidste Viking". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  2. ^ Roxborough, Scott (30 August 2025). "Venice: Anders Thomas Jensen on 'The Last Viking,' Mads Mikkelsen and Why He's Team ABBA". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  3. ^ Balaga, Marta (30 August 2025). "Mads Mikkelsen Delivers Another Wild Look in Anders Thomas Jensen's Boundary-Pushing 'The Last Viking': 'Part of Him Wants to Be Ugly'". Variety. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  4. ^ a b Mitchell, Wendy (27 August 2024). "Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas reteam with Anders Thomas Jensen for 'Back To Reality' (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  5. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (28 August 2024). "Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas to headline Anders Thomas Jensen's dark comedy The Last Viking". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  6. ^ Mitchell, Wendy (30 August 2025). "Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Anders Thomas Jensen on 'The Last Viking'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  7. ^ a b Pham, Annika (13 May 2025). "TrustNordisk's 'The Last Viking' Adds Buyers, Unveils First-Look Image (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  8. ^ Dalton, Ben (10 February 2025). "Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas film retitled 'The Last Viking', sells to Japan (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  9. ^ Ntim, Zac (19 September 2025). "'The Last Viking' Starring Mads Mikkelsen Lands U.S. Release Via Samuel Goldwyn". Deadline. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  10. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (29 August 2025). "'The Last Viking' Clip: Mads Mikkelsen Reunites With Director Anders Thomas Jensen In Venice-Bound Dark Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  11. ^ Tapp, Tom; Hipes, Patrick; Lang, Robert (1 September 2025). "Venice Film Festival 2025 In Photos: Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson, Amanda Seyfried, Kim Novak & More". Deadline. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  12. ^ Hoff, Frederik (12 August 2025). "Den sidste viking". Filmmagasinet Ekko (in Danish). Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  13. ^ "The Last Viking". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  14. ^ "The Last Viking". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
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