Norway awards $430,000 incentive grant to Marvel Studios' Black Panther sequel

The Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) is set to offer $6.3m (NOK55.9m) through its incentive programme to Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever for VFX work, Working Title's series The Devil's Star and a local drama series The Commoner. 

The NFI manages the incentive scheme and processes applications from film and series producers. For 2022, the available reimbursement framework for the incentive scheme is NOK55.9m. This is the amount that can be allocated after future obligations have been deducted from the supreme legislature of Norway's (Storting) allocation and the pledge authorisation of NOK100m in the adopted national budget for 2022.

The VFX of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will take place at Storm Studios AS in Oslo who will receive a reimbursement of $430,000 (NOK4.3m). 

Kjersti Mo, NFI director, said: “The fact that a Norwegian company receives such a large VFX assignment for an American blockbuster shows that the Norwegian film industry is far ahead in terms of technology and production quality. Such an assignment can also serve as a door opener for several assignments for the Norwegian supplier industry and especially in special effects."

Working Title's drama series, The Devil's Star, based on Jo Nesbo's best-selling novel, is also set to receive $1m (NOK8.67m) for an additional episode shot in Norway, having already received $3.6m (NOK31.4m) from the local incentive programme in 2021.

The final project to receive the reimbursement is Paradox Rettigeter's local series, The Commoner, which is set to receive $4.8m (NOK43m). 

A total of 14 productions (five feature films and nine TV series) applied by the end of 2021 for the 2022 programme. The total reimbursement limit is $27.5m (NOK244m).

"The amount of applicants shows that Norway is an attractive recording country with great recording locations, skilled film people and good infrastructure. This provides value creation and jobs throughout the country, and contributes to knowledge building and experience lifting in the industry", added Mo.

"The amount of applicants and the amounts they apply for is higher than what we have the means to offer a refund framework for. We relate to the annual allocation and grant authorisation set out through the Storting's decision on the national budget, but  hope that the scheme will be strengthened in the years ahead. The Norwegian Film Institute wants the size of available funds to be predictable and large enough for all qualified applicants to be offered a reimbursement framework."