Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train), Tom Hardy (Venom) and director Cary Fukunaga (No Time To Die) are teaming for Jo Nesbo crime-thriller adaptation, Blood On Snow, which will likely be the biggest pre-sales title at TIFF for WME Independent and Range.
Nesbø is scripting the project (with revisions by Ben Power), based on his own best-selling novel of the same name.
The buzzy story unfolds in 1970’s Oslo, where two rival gang leaders—Hoffman and the Fisherman (Hardy) —vie for control.
It marks a rare feature screenwriting outing for the acclaimed Norwegian novelist whose books have been adapted into multiple hit movies and TV series. Filming is due to take place later this year.
The synopsis reads: “Hoffman’s trusted hitman, Olav (Johnson), is a cold, efficient killer, perfect for the job. But beneath his ruthless exterior lies an unexpected intelligence and an unwavering moral code shaped by a complicated childhood…When Hoffman orders his own wife to be murdered, Olav’s principles clash with his loyalties. Instead of pulling the trigger, he hatches a scheme that makes him Hoffman’s next target and with nowhere safe to turn, Olav forms an uneasy alliance that places him at the heart of Oslo’s deadly gang war. Once a violent enforcer, Olav’s choice makes him an unlikely hero in a world where no good deed goes unpunished.”
I’m a fan of Fukunaga’s work specifically True Detective and Beasts of No Nation, so I’m cautiously optimistic for this one. ATJ is polarizing because he’s very good if the film he’s in is good (Nocturnal Animals, Kick Ass, Bullet Train), but he’s also bad if the film or writing is mediocre (Godzilla, Avengers). We’ll see.