Production Begins On Tommy Wirkola's HELLFJORD! Details And Director List Announced!

Tommy Wirkola is a busy man. The Norwegian writer-director has a huge international hit with Nazi zombie picture Dead Snow, a success that led quickly to Hollywood banging on his door. But while Wirkola was certainly interested in the scale of what Hollywood could offer he wasn't going to jump at just anything, so he stayed home and made a low budget comedy - The Legend Of The Fjord Witch - and held out until he got to do what he wanted. Which was the big budget horror comedy Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters, a film Wirkola co-wrote himself, assembled a phenomenal cast for - Gemma Arterton, Jeremy Renner, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare and Zoe Bell all star - and has just finished shooting.

With Hansel And Gretel just going into post production the idea of Wirkola already having another major project on his plate is kind of mind-boggling, which is why it's worth pointing out that he created and wrote - along with stars Zahid Ali and Stig Frode Henriksen - upcoming, seven episode horror comedy television series Hellfjord before Hansel And Gretel kicked off.

With Hansel And Gretel keeping Wirkola busy elsewhere he has moved into a supervisory role for Hellfjord - officially credited as creator, writer and creative producer - with directing duties handed off to a who's who of young Norwegian genre talent.Here's the official synopsis:

The director of cult hit Dead Snow and Paramount's upcoming blockbuster Hansel and Gretel - Witch Hunters joins forces with the best Norwegian directors and Top-Notch Scandinavian actors to give you a TV-series unlike anything you've ever seen.

Hellfjord is the story of the urban police officer Salmander - second generation Pakistani immigrant - who after somewhat accidentally killing his police horse in front of thousands of children gets relocated to the location farthest north in Norway; Hellfjord.

Hellfjord is populated by typical Norwegians, simple-minded people keenly interested in keeping to themselves. But when Salmander scratches the surface, he discovers a secret that will turn Hellfjord upside down. Maybe even inside out.

Producers are describing the tone of their very odd creation as Twin Peaks meets Hot Fuzz and helping bring the madness to screens will be directors Patrik Syversen (Manhunt, Prowl, You Said What?) helming the first pair of episodes followed by one a piece from Kenneth Olaf Hjellum (Graduates), Ole Giaever (The Mountain), Sebastian Dalen (Tomme Tonner), Dead Snow actor Vegar Hoel making his directorial debut, and with the finale handed to Cold Prey's Roar Uthaug.

Starring are Norwegian comedian Zahid Ali, Dead Snow's Stig Frode Henriksen, Ingrid Bolso Berdal (Cold Prey), Pihla Viitala (Harpoon, Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters), Thomas Hanzon and Maria Bock.