Rocket Science Highlights Glassriver’s First Feature ‘Dark Ocean’ at Cannes Market
EXCLUSIVE: Rocket Science Schedules Sales for "Dark Ocean," Debut Film from Iceland’s Glassriver
Rocket Science has officially taken on the worldwide sales for Dark Ocean, the inaugural feature from Icelandic production house Glassriver. The film will make its market debut at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, helmed by director Baldvin Z. This claustrophobic drama is set against the backdrop of a fishing trawler in the North Atlantic.
The narrative centers on a young deckhand embarking on his maiden voyage, as he and his crewmates face the fierce forces of nature and the unforgiving realities of survival at sea.
The cast features notable talents including director-producer Baltasar Kormákur, known for films such as Beast and Everest, alongside Ólafur Darri Ólafsson of Severance and True Detective, and Þorsteinn Bachmann, also from True Detective and Katla. Thorvaldur Kristjansson, recognized for his roles in The Minister and The Darkness, rounds out the ensemble.
Dark Ocean is penned by Matthías Tryggvi Haraldsson, a founding member of the Icelandic theatre and music collective Hatari. Baldvin Z, who previously directed Glassriver’s series Black Sands as well as the Netflix show Case, not only directs but also produces the film. His production team includes Guðgeir “Gucci” Arngrímsson, credited with works such as Albatross and Eden, while Christine Haebler’s Canadian firm, Terminal City Pictures, has come on board as a co-producer.
This film marks a notable shift for Glassriver, which is recognized as one of Iceland’s leading television producers, responsible for over half of the scripted series produced in the country in 2023. Their current projects include Hot Stuff, a co-production with Romania’s Idea Film, and the recently optioned Konrad, based on the work of Arnaldur Indriðason. Additionally, production has recently concluded on Elma, a crime thriller series adapted from Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s best-selling books.
“We’re excited to see momentum building for our debut feature film, with Rocket Science coming onboard to kickstart a worldwide sales campaign and launch the project at Cannes Film Festival,” said Andri Ómarsson, CEO of Glassriver. “Their proven success with high-octane dramas makes them the ideal partner to create anticipation for this story beyond Iceland.”
“Dark Ocean is an incredibly claustrophobic and tense script to which we immediately gravitated,” commented Thorsten Schumacher, CEO of UK-based Rocket Science. “Baldvin Z is a compelling talent with an excellent cast. We’re thrilled to bring this distinctive and timely story to the market.”
Alongside Dark Ocean, Rocket Science will showcase a slate at Cannes that includes Jaume Collet Serra’s Cliffhanger, featuring Lily James and Pierce Brosnan, as well as Riddick: Furya, starring Vin Diesel.
