Robert Eggers Has Some Surprising Remarks About Studio Interference With The Northman
Robert Eggers, the director behind surreal period horror offerings such as "The Witch" and "The Lighthouse," is a unique entity in the current cinematic landscape. Known for his attention to detail and period accuracy, Eggers' films are authentic, otherworldly, and unlike anything else out there at the moment. Furthermore, their success has led to some huge opportunities for the director, including his upcoming historical opus "The Northman."
Continuing Eggers' fascination with telling violent stories set in the distant past, "The Northman" chronicles a Nordic Viking prince's quest for vengeance as he navigates the unforgiving terrains of 10th-century Iceland in search of his father's killers. Alexander Skarsgård stars as the angry Viking at the heart of the story, and he certainly looks the part in the role.
Eggers had creative control over his previous movies, but they were also fairly lowkey compared to his latest feature, which cost around $90 million to make and saw the director have to answer to more cooks in the proverbial kitchen (per The New Yorker). "The Northman" is an ambitious studio film that boasts an A-list cast, large sets, and complex action sequences, so it required more oversight during the production process. As a result, the visionary filmmaker had to make some compromises with his higher-ups.
Robert Eggers needed the studio interference on The Northman
Robert Eggers recently sat down with the New Yorker and opened up about his experiences working on "The Northman." During the interview, the director suggested that the post-production process was beleaguered by studio interference, stating that he doesn't know if he'll ever make a movie this big ever again. That being said, his words may have been taken out of context, as the experience wasn't negative at all.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Eggers explained that "The Northman" was the first movie that required him to do test screenings, which he didn't enjoy. However, the powers that be didn't force him to make any big creative changes, and he assured fans that the final cut of "The Northman" aligns with his vision. "This is my director's cut. The studio pressure made the film what I originally pitched to them, which was the most entertaining Robert Eggers movie I could make. Honestly, without their pressure, I couldn't have done that," he revealed.