EXCLUSIVE: Dutch-Norwegian director Zwart Arbeid gave a sneak peek of his upcoming animated feature ViQueens in a masterclass at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Thursday, and Deadline can share the teaser exclusively too.
Co-starring Ella Purnell and Rita Ora in the voice cast, with a special appearance by global soccer superstar Erling Haaland, the adventure-comedy follows fearless Viking girls Ingrid and Hedvig as they defy tradition to return a stowaway boy to China.
Their journey spans icy fjords, Byzantine intrigue, and the fabled Silk Road, blending Viking grit with ancient Chinese wisdom, unexpected alliances, and a touch of magic.
The teaser launch coincides with a special Annecy masterclass presented by Zwart (The Karate Kid, The Mortal Instruments) and producer Veslemøy Ruud Zwart, sharing the creative journey behind the making of the film and unveiling an innovative production methodology they developed called “Reference Capture.”
Designed to bridge the gap between live-action filmmaking and animation, Reference Capture combines performance, cinematography, and physical staging early in the creative process, providing animators with a rich visual and emotional foundation for storytelling, with every frame still being animated and no AI being used.
“From the beginning, we wanted ViQueens to feel as emotionally authentic and cinematically grounded as a live-action film while retaining all the imagination and scale that animation makes possible,” said Zwart.
“Reference Capture allowed us to bridge those worlds by capturing real performances, camera language, and physicality early in the process, giving our artists a richer foundation from which to build the film’s animated universe.”
The film features an original score by acclaimed composer Christophe Beck, whose iconic work on Disney’s Frozen and Frozen II has resonated with audiences around the world and helped define a generation of animated storytelling.
Joining Purnell, Ora, and Haaland in the voice cast are Steve Speirs as King Erik, Anton Lesser as the scheming Lars, and Alan Carr as the Bard, an overly enthusiastic royal scribe.
“The teaser is our first opportunity to invite audiences into the world of ViQueens,” said producer Veslemøy Ruud Zwart. “It captures the humor, heart, adventure, and cinematic scope of the film while showcasing a new approach to animation production that has been central to bringing this story to life.”
Animation and visual effects for ViQueens are being produced by Gimpville, with post-production and audio services provided by OPCM both out of Norway.
The film is executive produced by Torgeir Sanders of Gimpville (Troll, Troll Hunter), Robert Chandler of Space Age Films (The Amazing Maurice, The Canterville Ghost), Peter Clausen of OPCM (Lilyhammer, Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole, Troll, Billionaires Island), Andrew Williams of Vamonos, Rasmus Ramstad of Rumba AS, and Solveig Langeland of Sola Media, which is also handling worldwide sales.
The film is slated for delivery in late 2026, with a home territory release planned for December 25, 2026.
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