Baalsrud’s Daring WWII Resistance Story Set For Remake

Arne Skouen’s Oscar nominated masterpiece Nine Lives (Ni Liv), based on the book We Die Alone by David Howarth, is to be remade as The Twelfth Man (Den Tolvte Mann), written by Petter Skavlan and directed by Harald Zwart.

The 1957 film told the story of Jan Baalsrud, who was a member of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. In 1943, he was involved in an attempt to destroy a German air control tower. This mission was compromised when he and his associates, whilst seeking a trusted ally, made contact with a civilian who betrayed them to the Nazis.

The title of the new film refers to the fact that Baalsrud escaped to Sweden, whilst eleven members of his resistance group were interrogated, tortured and killed by the Germans. It will not be a direct remake because it will not only include Baalsrud’s perspective, but also that of his co-conspirators and the Germans.

The Twelfth Man has been awarded 15 million by the Norwegian Film Institute for marketing purposes, and has a budget of 64 million. The film will be shot in Troms, where the story took place and is expected to open in the autumn of 2017. Casting has yet to be revealed.