Ethan Hawke

It's billed as a brutal tale of betrayal and Revenge - and while The Northman may mostly be set in Iceland, The Viking saga is another feather in Northern Ireland 's filming cap.

Directed by Robert Eggers , and featuring an all-star cast including Nicole Kidman , Ethan Hawke and Alexander Skarsgård, The Project was filmed in Northern Ireland in 2020, employing nearly 450 locally-resident crew.

It was produced by Mark Huffam , the Ballyclare-born producer who helped to bring Game of Thrones to Northern Ireland .

He was instrumental in convincing Eggers, whose previous directorial efforts The Witch and The Lighthouse were critically acclaimed, to make The Film in Belfast and beyond.

" The Film takes place in northern Scotland, Ukraine, and Iceland, " Eggers told Bbc News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme.

" And Mark Huffam said: 'I can find All That For You in Northern Ireland . '

" I mean, there were certain things we had to shoot in Iceland that can only be Iceland, but there's a lot of Northern Ireland for Iceland.

" A lot more, in fact, than I originally wanted, but because of Covid the main unit couldn't shoot there.

" You know, me and Alex (Skarsgård) and Anya (Taylor-Joy) didn't get to Iceland until after we'd wrapped principal photography.

" But the landscapes in Northern Ireland were completely incredible. To be able to build these massive sets, like on Torr Head - it's kind of A Dream come true. "

As well as using locations such as Shane's Castle, the Clandeboye Estate, Knock Dhu mountain and Sandy Brae, The Film also used Belfast's Harbour Studios.

Eggers is known for asking a lot of his Actors - Indeed Skarsgård had to eat five times A Day just to maintain his strength for the physical demands of a film full of Viking battles and Norse Mythology .

" People either want to work with me or they don't, " He Said .

" And that's fine, but The People who are choosing to work with me are super passionate - and they need to be, you know.

" And I think, now, I have sort of A Brand so people know what it means.

" Luckily, Alex and Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicole (Kidman), they wanted to be a part of this.

" Nicole, The First day on set for her, she was on horseback all day.

" It was one incredibly complicated shot that we just did over and over all day long until sunset with the worst wind conditions we'd had on The Shoot . But I think she was into it. "

Difficult shooting conditions aside, Kidman spoke fondly of her time filming in Northern Ireland on Social Media and said she would Return .

Eggers too said he would " absolutely come back to Northern Ireland to make films again".

" The Crew there was totally fantastic and completely dedicated. The finishes on the sets are out-of-this-world realistic.

" So I would be incredibly happy to come back to make a film in Belfast and hopefully in that Covid-free environment where I can actually enjoy The City some more. "

Source of news: bbc.com