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From Amazon and MGM comes Bloodaxe, an all-new Viking series fromVikings creator Michael Hirst and his son Heratio Hirst. The series, set decades after the original, beloved Vikings series and decades before its spinoff Vikings: Valhalla, follows Eric Bloodaxe, one of the most famous Vikings that ever lived.

The Amazon Prime Video/MGM series follows legendary Viking Eric Bloodaxe and his wife Gunnhild, Mother of Kings, as they fight for the throne of Norway, a throne sought after by several different factions. The conflict draws attention across Scandinavia and England. Prepare for a series rife with blood, battles, and backstabbing.

We previously reported that the series has found its lead star in the form of Australian actor Xavier Molyneux. Now, a report from Deadline has revealed six more actors entering the fray. The new cast members are:

Karlis Arnolds Avots (January)Rod Hallett (Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles De Menezes...

Prime Video has locked in six new cast members for Bloodaxe, with filming set to begin this summer in Ireland and Iceland. Karlis Arnolds Avots, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marie, and Rune Temte join as series regulars. Jesper Christensen also boards in a recurring role. Created by Michael Hirst and Horatio Hirst, the historical […]

Bloodaxe Casts Six Series Regulars Ahead of Prime Video Shoot...

ABC’s Shark Tank this season will welcome a pair of fixer-uppers.

New guest sharks poised to make a splash during Season 17 include Chip and Joanna Gaines, the HGTV superstars who went on to create the media brand Magnolia; Michael Strahan, GMA co-anchor and Smac co-founder; poppi founder Allison Ellsworth; Reddit co-founder/venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian; and Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver.

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Prime Video has released the first-look images and teaser trailer for the highly anticipated drama series The Girlfriend, starring Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke. The six-episode series is based on Michelle Frances’ novel of the same name, and will be available to stream on Prime Video beginning Sept. 10.

“The Girlfriend” follows “Laura (Wright), a woman who seemingly has it all: a glittering career, a loving husband, and her precious son, Daniel. Her perfect life begins to unravel when Daniel brings home Cherry (Cooke), a girlfriend who changes everything. After a tense introduction, Laura becomes convinced Cherry is hiding something. Is she a manipulative social climber, or is Laura just paranoid? The truth is a matter of perspective.”

Additional cast members include Laurie Davidson, Waleed Zuaiter, Tayna Moodie, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Karen Henthorn, Anna Chancellor, Leo Suter, and Francesca Corney.

“The Girlfriend” is adapted for television by Naomi Sheldon and Gabbie Asher,...

Michael Hirst is making another Viking drama. Casting is currently underway on Bloodaxe, with seven more actors having been announced for the upcoming Prime Video series.

According to Deadline, Rebel Moon actor Sisse Marie has joined Bloodaxe as a series regular alongside Karlis Arnolds Avots (January), Rod Hallett (Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles De Menezes), Alina Tomnikov (Donna), and Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle). Additionally, Jesper Christensen has boarded the drama series in a recurring role. Christensen is best known for portraying the mysterious villain Mr. White in three James Bond movies from the Daniel Craig era — Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), and Spectre (2015).

Who Are These 7 Actors Playing in Bloodaxe?

Character details have also been released, with Avots playing "Egil, a poet, farmer, murderer, sorcerer, ladies’ man, and a bit of a psychopath, who is seeking revenge on Erik Bloodaxe for the exile of his family to Iceland by Erik’s father,...

The Vikings are coming back. In a huge development since its announcement, Prime Video's upcoming epic series Bloodaxe has announced that six cast members have joined the main cast as series regulars. The historical drama will chronicle the life and achievements of one of history’s most famous Norse raiders, Erik Bloodaxe. The series will begin filming in Ireland and Iceland later this summer, and the title character will be played by Xavier Molyneux (Take My Hand). Molyneux will be joined by Karlis Arnolds Avots, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marie, and Rune Temte.

Avots will play Egil, one of Erik's enemies who wants revenge after Bloodaxe's father exiled his family to Iceland. The adversary is described by Prime Video as "a poet, farmer, murderer, sorcerer, ladies’ man, and a bit of a psychopath." Avots previously starred in January, Soviet Jeans, and The Good Neighbor. The King of Wessex...

Prime Video’s Viking drama Bloodaxe has added five as series regulars: Karlis Arnolds Avots (January), Rod Hallett (Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles De Menezes), Alina Tomnikov (Donna), Sisse Marie (Rebel Moon), and Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle). Additionally, Jesper Christensen (Spectre) has boarded as recurring.

Avots plays Egil, a poet, farmer, murderer, sorcerer, ladies’ man, and a bit of a psychopath, who is seeking revenge on Erik Bloodaxe (Molyneux) for the exile of his family to Iceland by Erik’s father, King Harald Fairhair.

Hallett plays Athelstan, the shrewd and powerful King of Wessex, who is also a formidable warrior. Years ago, he formed a strategic alliance with King Fairhair concerning his young son Haakon, and has been grooming him for future leadership, and to ensure his influence extends beyond Wessex.

Tomnikov portrays the dual roles of Greta and The Seer. Greta is an esteemed shield maiden...

Writer-director Aki Kaurismäki’s new deadpan dark dramedy Fallen Leaves (Kuolleet lehdet) delighted the jury at Cannes in May 2023, as well as audiences at London Film Festival in October.

The Finnish filmmaker’s candid expertise at understanding emotional complexity is unrivalled in this tender, enchanting and romantic tale of love between two lonely singletons in Helsinki.

Ansa (Alma Pöysti) works in a local supermarket then goes home to her small inherited apartment, before repeating her daily grind the following day. Laborer Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) has a similar existence, minus a home to call home, with his only passion coming from a cigarette and a drink with work colleague and friend Huotari (Janne Hyytiäinen) at the end of the day.

All three characters have a chance meeting at a local karaoke bar, with Ansa, accompanied by best friend Tonja (Alina Tomnikov), making a lasting impression on Holappa, without a single word uttered between them.

It’s one of the stand-out highlights for us each and every year – when, at the Berlin Film Festival, European Film Promotion host their annual European Shooting Stars event. The prestigious accolade is awarded to ten promising young actors from around the continent, and has quite a pedigree in the industry, with a remarkable list of previous winners. Daniel Craig, Andrew Scott, Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan, Andrea Riseborough, Alicia Vikander, Riz Ahmed and many more. Told you it was impressive.

So looking at the last of stars to have won this award, it’s now time to focus on this year’s winners, the future stars of tomorrow. It’s an event close to our hearts as we’re a media partner for it, and with that we are granted access to each and every one of the ten winners – and below you can watch all of those interviews. Friend...

European Film Promotion Unveils 2023 European Shooting Stars

Belgian actress Joely Mbundu, co-star of Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne’s Cannes 2022 feature Tori And Lokita, is among the eight rising talents selected for the 2023 edition of European Film Promotion’s European Shooting Stars initiative. The selection also includes Italy’s Benedetta Porcaroli, seen recently in Venice Horizons 2022 title Amanda, and Norway’s Kristine Kujath Thorp, who previously made her mark in Fanny, The Burning Sea and Ninjababy, and also won praise for her performance in Cannes Certain Regard 2022 selection Sick of Myself. The other spotlighted titles comprise Alina Tomnikov (Finland), Leonie Benesch (Germany), Yannick Jozefzoon (The Netherlands), Judith State(Romania), Gizem Erdogan (Sweden) and Kayije Kagame (Switzerland) Thorvaldur Kristjansson (Iceland). This year’s talents were selected by an eight-person jury featuring Polish director Jan Komasa, Dutch casting director Rebecca van Unen and Norwegian producer Maria Ekerhovd. The eight talents will participate in...

Each year we are proud to partner with the European Film Promotion to celebrate ten emerging European talents as part of their ongoing Efp Shooting Stars programme. Today we’re pleased to join the reveal of 2023’s cohort, who we’ll be getting to know better next year at the 73rd Berlinale.

Here are 2023’s European Shooting Stars:

Joely Mbundu (Belgium), Alina Tomnikov (Finland), Leonie Benesch (Germany), Thorvaldur Kristjansson (Iceland), Benedetta Porcaroli (Italy), Yannick Jozefzoon (The Netherlands), Kristine Kujath Thorp (Norway), Judith State (Romania), Gizem Erdogan (Sweden) and Kayije Kagame (Switzerland).

We’ll be meeting with each of the Shooting Stars out in Berlin next February and speaking to them. So, remember to check back next year for those interviews.

In the meantime, here are more details about each of the intake from the Efp themselves.

Belgium / Joely Mbundu ©Tina Herbots

Joely Mbundu hails from Villeneuve-St-Georges, France and attended school in Flanders,...

Joely Mbundu from ‘Tori And Lokita’, Kristine Kujath Thorp from ‘Sick Of Myself’ also in.

European Film Promotion (Efp) has selected 10 young actors for the 2023 edition of Shooting Stars, its talent portfolio for promising on-screen talent from the continent.

Selected actors for 2023 include Swiss actress Kayije Kagame, who made her feature debut in Alice Diop’s Venice 2022 feature Saint Omer. Kagame has received plaudits for her role as Rama, a novelist attending a trial at the Saint-Omer Criminal Court which she plans to use for a modern-day adaptation of the ancient myth of Medea.

Scroll down for the full list...

European Film Promotion, which represents film organizations in 37 countries, has revealed the up-and-coming acting talent who have been selected for the next edition of European Shooting Stars. They will be introduced to the international press, film industry and the audience during the 73rd Berlin Film Festival.

The four-day tailormade promotion and networking program, running Feb. 17-20, culminates with a celebration of the talent at an awards ceremony at the Berlinale Palast.

The European Shooting Stars 2023 — which includes eight women and two men — were selected from a pool of 27 nominees by an international jury, comprised of Polish director Jan Komasa, Dutch casting director Rebecca van Unen, Norwegian producer Maria Ekerhovd, former Spanish Shooting Star Veronica Echegui, and Variety’s international features editor Leo Barraclough from the U.K.. These five experts recognized the talents’ potential for an international career based on several factors, including their stellar work in feature films and drama series,...

Berlin-based Flare Film is ramping up series production with two new high-concept projects in development while currently producing the eight-part “Paradiso” for Sky Deutschland, the first project from the company’s recently launched Flare Entertainment division.

Flare Entertainment is partnering with Beta Film and Deutsche Telekom streaming platform MagentaTV on “The Daughter,” created by Pola Beck and the writing trio known locally as the HaRiBos, Hanno Hackfort, Richard Kropf and Bob Konrad, with Beck and Kropf serving as showrunners.

The series tells the fact-based story of Tinka, a directionless teenager forced to grow up overnight when her wealthy parents are arrested for running the biggest cocaine ring in Berlin. As she works to free them from jail, she uncovers their secret lives and delves ever deeper into the family business.

Described as “Breaking Bad” meets French cinema, the eight-part family drama examines the shifting power dynamics between a daughter and...

Stars: Kristofer Gummerus, Rami Rusinen, Renne Korppila, Matti Onnismaa, Johnny Vivash, Bianca Bradey, Sheila Shah, Michael Majalahti, Michael Hall, Alina Tomnikov, Aake Kalliala, Reino Nordin, Tero Salenius, Sami Huhtala | Written by Pekka Lehtosaari, Miika J. Norvanto, Timo Puustinen | Directed by Jesse Haaja

Hans(el) und (G)rendel

There is something uniquely American in the unashamed virtues and patriotism wrapped up in traditional Superhero films. It is this un-ironic earnestness that I admire but find impossible to emulate personally. Superman, with his endlessly positivity is too vanilla for me. Probably more importantly I am, deep down too sneering, too cynical to fully embrace or relate to the struggles of the invincible man with the shopping list of powers.

Speaking of heroes… lots of people like to root for John McClane in the original Die Hard as the consummate underdog. Even watching as a kid, I rooted for the actual underdogs of the movie,...

Stars: Hannamaija Nikander, Jari Virman, Matti Onnismaa, Heikki Nousiainen, Pihla Penttinen, Jouko Puolanto, Santtu Karvonen, Alina Tomnikov, Ilari Johansson, Rami Rusinen, Olli Rahkonen | Written and Directed by Teemu Nikki

Although it’s not the biggest sub genre, Finnish horror has produced a few good movies. Lake Bodom had some success outside of it’s home country, Dark Floors (the Lordi film) was surprisingly fun) and Rare Exports is a movie I watch and enjoy every Christmas. So if Euthanizer turned out decent, it was in good company. It turns out much more than decent and Euthanizer has a lot to like about it. So lets begin with the performances because there’s not a bad performance from any member of the cast. But the three leads will will get most the praise and justifiably so…

Hannamaija Nikander plays the lead female Lotta. Definitely an odd character, Lotta enjoys the macbre side of life,...

"What the hell is Rendel?" The first official trailer has arrived online for a Finnish, futuristic superhero film titled Rendel, which is the name of the masked superhero character that it's about. Created by the film's director, Jesse Haaja, Rendel is a "faceless" superhero fighting against the Vala criminal organization in the "cold dystopia" of a fictionalized version of a Finnish city called Mikkeli. This "superhero story" is a bit darker and grittier than what we see out of Hollywood, but still has some of the same tropes of the genre. Starring Finnish actor Kristofer Gummerus as Rendel, along with Matti Onnismaa, Minttu Tamski, Roosa-Maria Makinen, Alina Tomnikov, Bianca Bradey, and Johnny Vivash. This looks it could be cool, but I'm also a bit worried it might also be straight-to-vhs level terrible. Check out the footage below. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jesse Haaja's Rendel, direct from...