04/06/2013 - Swedish director Tomas Alfredson to adapt Astrid Lindgren's children's fantasy novel, filmed by Olle Hellbom in 1977, from a script by his vampire writer John Ajvide Lindqvist

Swedish director Tomas Alfredson, who most recently signed the 2011 award-winning adaption of UK writer John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy [+see also:
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With a budget of €38.1 million, to become Sweden's most expensive film production so far, will be staged by Swedish producer (on leave from his job as commissioner at the Swedish Film Institute) Peter Pjodor Gustafsson for Another Park Film-Brothers Lionheart. Shooting will begin on July 1, and domestic release is scheduled for December 25, 2014.

Co-produced by Norway's 4½ Fiksjon (Karin Julsrud, Jonas Røyem), a third of the locations will be filmed on the backdrop of Norwegian waterfalls, caverns and other distinctive nature, and in the little village of Cherry Valley, which will be built in Western/Northern Norway, including the brothers' little white house. The Norwegian Film Institute has also chipped in funding.

Adapted by Swedish director Olle Hellbom in 1977, both for theatrical and television, The Brothers Lionheart is the story of two brothers, nine-year-old Karl and 13-year-old Jonatan Lejon (Lion), who are reunited in the country of Nangijala after a short life on Earth. But no Paradise without Evil - they join the resistance against the monstrous ruler Tengil and his fire-breathing dragon, Katla.

Alfredson break was the 2007 horror drama Let the Right One In [+see also:
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interview: Tomas Alfredson
film profile] - scripted by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist from his own novel about the relationship between a 12-year-old bullied boy and his only supporter Eli, who turns out to be a vampire. Lindqvist penned the screenplay for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with the UK's Peter Straughan - the will also collaborate on The Brothers Lionheart.