Danish superstar Mads Mikkelsen has graced the animated feature Dreamworld, now being crafted at the esteemed Polish production house Lightcraft. The film, under the direction of Daniel Markowicz and Matrix visual effects veteran Maks Naporowski, boasts a production team that includes Paulina Nowak, Dariush Derakhshani, Michael Roesch, and Mariusz Spisz as executive producers. Peter Bielicki, the mastermind behind Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Pocahontas, and Mulan, serves as the art director.
Dreamworld centers around 12-year-old Jake and his friend Jenny as they face off against the enigmatic Vagapulga in their dreams. Lightcraft and Germany's Kinostar are handling international sales and will be unveiling the project at the American Film Market, screening the first five minutes for buyers. The feature is slated for delivery next year.
Mikkelsen's career spans from European arthouse cinema to major studio productions, from Another Round and The Hunt to Doctor Strange and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. He brought Kiros to life in Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King (2024). His recent credits include the Danish dramedy The Last Viking from Anders Thomas Jensen and the Lionsgate horror title Dust Bunny.
"As one of the most versatile and acclaimed European actors, Mads Mikkelsen was our dream choice from the moment we penned the script," exclaimed director and producer Markowicz. "We are more than thrilled to have him on board."
Founded as a VFX studio, Lightcraft has blossomed into one of Poland's foremost production companies, producing local-language features such as Soulcatcher (2023) and Lesson Plan (2022) for Netflix. "After years of meticulous work on this movie, it is a thrill to be nearing the finish line," said executive producer Nowak. "We are delighted to showcase the opening of the movie to studios and international buyers at the American Film Market."
"We are beyond excited to continue our collaboration with Daniel and Paulina," added executive producer Roesch, hailing Dreamworld as "one of the biggest and creatively most exciting independent animation movies in recent years."
Mikkelsen is represented by UTA and Copenhagen-based Art Management.
