I have always been intrigued by the time around the creation of the Domesday Book — the clash between what we now recognise as civilised society and the end of a more brutal, adventurous era belonging to the Vikings. My father became obsessed with family research in the last years of his life. Our lineage can be traced all the way back to some very prominent Vikings — the kind I want to honour in this film, albeit in an exaggerated form. Harald Barefoot is part William Munney from Unforgiven (1992), part Conan at the end of Conan the Barbarian (1982) — a man of violence who has chosen stillness, seen through the cultural prism of a Scandinavian Viking. His desire to be left alone is only rivalled by his desire to never, ever back down. And never pay any taxes. Visually, I envision a stark aesthetic — grand cinematography, gritty set design, and the particular atmosphere of what happens after the high adventures of a violent man who has settled down to see out his days. Regret, loneliness, longing for excitement. Until one final battle suddenly becomes an option. One final grand adventure. The Berserker will be a riveting exploration of the things in life that matter most: family, bravery, and steel. Because ultimately, nothing in life is certain... but death and taxes.