‘The Last Viking’ Trailer Shows Mads Mikkelsen as John Lennon and Audiences Are Finally About to See Why That’s Brilliant

Mads Mikkelsen has never shied away from unconventional choices, but his latest Danish film takes things to an entirely different level. ‘The Last Viking,’ a black comedy written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, sees Mikkelsen starring alongside Nikolaj Lie Kaas as two brothers caught in a chaotic, darkly funny spiral rooted in stolen money, childhood trauma, and one man’s unshakeable belief that he is John Lennon.

The film is set to open in U.S. theaters and on digital platforms on May 29 via Samuel Goldwyn Films, giving American audiences their long-awaited shot at one of the most talked-about foreign-language comedies of the past year. Samuel Goldwyn Films previously had success bringing Mikkelsen’s work stateside with the Oscar-winning ‘Another Round,’ and SGF president Peter Goldwyn called the pairing of Mikkelsen and Lie Kaas “truly something amazing.”

The story follows Anker, played by Lie Kaas, a man recently released from prison after a bank robbery conviction, who discovers that his brother Manfred, played by Mikkelsen, has deteriorated psychologically to the point where he genuinely believes himself to be John Lennon of The Beatles. A recurring gag in which Manfred violently throws himself out of a moving car or window any time someone refuses to call him “John” reportedly never gets old.

‘The Last Viking’ marks the sixth collaboration between Jensen, Mikkelsen, and Lie Kaas, following ‘Flickering Lights,’ ‘The Green Butchers,’ ‘Adam’s Apples,’ ‘Men & Chicken,’ and ‘Riders of Justice.’ The trio has built a reputation for films that weaponize absurdity in service of something genuinely affecting, and early reception suggests this one carries on that tradition. At the time of its festival run, the film held a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Mikkelsen’s physical transformation for the role is its own conversation starter, and it turns out the idea came from the actor himself. Jensen told Variety that the disheveled, unglamorous look was Mikkelsen’s own concept, explaining that for someone the world perceives as “this iconically beautiful man,” there is a part of him that wants to be the opposite.

Some critics have noted that Jensen’s work can be too dark for mainstream American viewers, and that even after ‘Another Round’ won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, the door for Scandinavian dark comedy remains only barely open in the U.S. market. Samuel Goldwyn’s decision to release the film as a limited theatrical engagement simultaneously alongside a VOD launch is seen as a pragmatic move to maximize reach.

Reviewers who caught ‘The Last Viking’ during its festival run described it as one of Jensen’s most accessible films, equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, with Mikkelsen delivering surprising comedic timing in a role that feels tailor-made for him. Whether that enthusiasm translates to a wider U.S. audience remains to be seen, but the combination of a beloved international star, a genuinely unhinged premise, and a filmmaker at the top of his game makes for a compelling case.

If you’ve been following Mads Mikkelsen’s relationship with Danish dark comedy over the years, share below whether you think ‘The Last Viking’ is the film that finally cracks American mainstream attention for this incredible trio.