Norwegian helmers Morten Tyldum and André Øvredal sign US deals

Norwegian director Morten Tyldum [pictured], whose action thriller Headhunters (Hodejegerne) was picked up for the US by Magnolia Pictures from a five-minute promo-reel at last month’s European Film Market in Berlin, has signed with American management and production company Anonymous Content, which has backed such features as Jodie Foster’s The Beaver, Lance Bangs’ The Lazarus Effect and Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone.

”Obviously it is very exciting to receive scripts for consideration, but right now I am concentrating on finishing Headhunters,” Tyldum told Norway’s VG. The film reunites him with Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie, who also played the lead in his feature debut, Buddy (2003).

Produced by Asle Vatn and Marianne Gray for Norway’s Friland, Sweden’s Yellow Bird (Millennium) and Denmark’s Nordisk Film, Headhunters is scripted by Ulf Ryberg and Lars Gudmestad from Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s best-selling novel. Sold internationally by Denmark’s TrustNordisk, it will be domestically released in August by Nordisk Film Distribusjon.

Also Norwegian director André Øvredal, whose The Troll Hunter (Trolljegeren) was purchased by Magnolia’s Magnet Releasing (and Universal Pictures International for most of Europe) after its midnight screening in Sundance, has been discovered by Hollywood.

He is currently working with US writer-director-producer Chris Columbus on a script that he describes as ”a monster comedy in line with Gremlins and Men In Black which he wants me to direct.” The Troll Hunter, Øvredal’s mockumentary proving that trolls do exist in Norway, has since its Oct 29, 2010, launch sold more than 280,000 domestically as an SF Norge release.