Trailer For THE LAST VIKING - Mads Mikkelsen Plays a John Lennon-Loving Oddball in New Danish Comedy
Zentropa has released the trailer for The Last Viking, a wild new Danish comedy from filmmaker Anders Thomas Jensen, best known for Men & Chicken and Riders of Justice.
The film is gearing up for its world premiere at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, and it’s shaping up to be another darkly comedic gem.
Mads Mikkelsen stars as Manfred, a man with some serious psychological baggage who fully believes he’s John Lennon. His estranged brother Anker, played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas, is a recently released bank robber trying to piece together the location of their long-lost loot. The catch? Manfred’s the only one who knows where it’s buried, somewhere near their childhood home.
The trailer teases all kinds of oddball chaos as Anker tries to navigate his brother’s fractured mind and their shared traumatic past. Naturally, being a Jensen film, the story is filled with bizarre characters, offbeat humor, and an unexpected plan involving a psychiatrist and a makeshift band meant to help Manfred recover his memories.
The film’s official synopsis reads, “Anker and Manfred are two brothers who are reunited following Anker's years-long jail stint for a bank robbery. Since Manfred is the only one who knows where the loot is buried next to their hold home, Anker has no choice but to contend not only with his brother's many psychological issues but the legacy of the traumas they suffered in their childhood.
“Of course, being an Anders Thomas Jensen movie, the brothers are two members of a highly memorable gallery of misfits, miscreants, and many other unique individuals with their own foibles and fixations, one of which may involve re-forming the most famous pop band ever.”
The Last Viking also stars Sofie Gråbøl, Lars Ranthe, Kardo Razzazi, Lars Brygmann, Nicolas Bro, and Søren Malling. It’s written and directed by Jensen, who’s once again blending heartfelt dysfunction with sharp comedy.
The film opens in Denmark this October and will also screen at TIFF, but there’s no U.S. release date yet. Based on the trailer, though, it looks like we’re in for another unforgettable performance from Mikkelsen and a movie that will be both hilarious and touching.