From Film Set to Viking Destination?
The epic feature film The Battle of Stiklestad is scheduled to shoot in 2027. Midgard Film Commission is working with Nordisk Film and regional partners to bring the production to Trøndelag – while exploring how the film set could become the starting point for something that lasts long after the cameras stop rolling.
Slaget på Stiklestad - Nordisk Film
The Battle of Stiklestad, directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg and produced by Nordisk Film, is planned for production in 2027. The ambition is to shoot the entire film in Trøndelag, bringing the story back to the landscapes and region where the historic events actually took place.
“The Kingdom of Norway was conceived in the Viking Age, and Stiklestad is its cradle,” says director Erik Skjoldbjærg. “This is a story that needs to be told on film – and ideally, I want to shoot it in Trøndelag, where it all happened.”
Directro Erik Skjoldbjærg - Photo: Haakon Mosvold Larsen / NTB
From film set to permanent destination
A production of this scale requires extensive sets – including an authentic Viking village. Sets of this kind are often built abroad and dismantled once filming is completed.
But what if we did things differently?
Midgard Film Commission, together with business incubator Tindved and Breach VR, has initiated a feasibility study in collaboration with Nordisk Film.
The project is exploring whether the film set can be designed and constructed as modular structures that can be relocated and reused after filming – forming the foundation for a permanent Viking experience destination in Trøndelag.
The idea is simple: if substantial resources are already being invested in creating an authentic environment for the film, could that investment also create something of lasting value for the region?
Film Commissioner in Midgard Film Commisison Solveig Ræstad - Photo: Hallvar Bugge Johnsen
A permanent Viking destination could become much more than a legacy of one film. It could provide a setting for storytelling, tourism and screen tourism, future film and television productions, concerts and historical performances, food and crafts, technology, education and immersive experiences based on Trøndelag’s Viking and medieval heritage.A permanent Viking destination could become much more than a legacy of one film. It could provide a setting for storytelling, tourism and screen tourism, future film and television productions, concerts and historical performances, food and crafts, technology, education and immersive experiences based on Trøndelag’s Viking and medieval heritage.
“A film production of this scale comes and goes, but here we have a unique opportunity to create a permanent Viking destination that can benefit tourism, the regional film industry and the experience economy. We have just seen during the FIFA World Cup how powerful the Viking identity is internationally. Now it is time to invite the world home to Trøndelag,” says Solveig Ræstad, Film Commissioner at Midgard Film Commission.
Creating lasting value in Trøndelag
The ambition is for The Battle of Stiklestad to be filmed in Trøndelag, creating activity and valuable experience for the regional industry.
At the same time, the feasibility study is exploring whether the Viking village built for the film can be reused as the foundation for a permanent visitor destination in the region.
With Norway approaching the National Jubilee in 2030 – marking 1,000 years since the Battle of Stiklestad – the project represents an opportunity to showcase Trøndelag’s Viking heritage to both Norwegian and international audiences.
Trøndelag played a central role in the Viking Age and in the events that shaped the Norwegian kingdom. The ambition is to use the attention generated by the film to bring more visitors to the region and create value that lasts beyond the production itself.
From feasibility study to reality
Håvard Sørli, Prosjektleder Tindved kulturhage Foto: Øyvind Malum
Tindved is leading the feasibility study, with Håvard Sørli as project manager. The study is exploring both the possibilities for the film set and how it could form the basis for a permanent Viking destination after filming.
“We simply cannot let a film about one of the most important events in Norwegian history be filmed abroad. The Battle of Stiklestad belongs in Trøndelag. To make that happen, we depend on both public and private partners seeing the opportunity and joining us. Bringing the production here will create regional activity and experience – while potentially laying the foundation for an attraction that can live on long after the film is completed,” says Håvard Sørli, project manager at Tindved.
Bringing the production to its roots
Producer Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen - Photo: Nordisk Film
Producer Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen and Midgard Film Commission have been working to anchor the production in Trøndelag and engage both public and private partners.
The response from across the region has been extremely positive, but the final partners still need to come on board before the production can move forward.
“The response in Trøndelag has been absolutely incredible,” says producer Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen. “There are four years to go until Norway marks its 1,000-year anniversary, and the film is intended to play a central part in that celebration. We already have a number of partners and investors on board. Now we just need to get the final partners in place so we can get started.”
The ambition is simple: to bring the film home to Trøndelag – and use the opportunity to create something that lasts..
The feasibility study is financed by: Trøndelag County Council, the municipalities of Verdal, Levanger and Malvik, SpareBank 1 SMN and Nordisk Film.
If you have any questions contact Håvard Sørli - hs@tindved.no
