Norwegian film "Spermageddon": The animated journey of a sperm cell
1:39 PM EDT, July 19, 2024
Norwegian film producers have gone wild. They have decided to create an animated film for adults that tells the story of Simen, a sperm cell with the life goal of fertilizing an egg. Critics who watched the animation before its official release describe it as cult-like.
Feature film creators are competing with ideas designed to win over potential viewers. Special effects, expensive costumes, chases, explosions, and unexpected plot twists are the norm in Hollywood. Norwegian producers Tommy Wirkola and Rasmus Sivertsen from the film studio SF Studios Norge decided to approach the matter differently and create something that no one would expect. This is how the full-length animated film for adults titled "Spermageddon" was born.
What is "Spermageddon" about?
"Spermageddon" tells the story of a young couple who fall in love and experience their first time. However, the film's main character is Simen, a sperm whose life goal is to fertilize an egg. Simen is unsure if he will succeed as he is not one of the strongest sperm cells. Will he ultimately achieve his dream? This is something the filmmakers Tommy Wirkola and Rasmus Sivertsen do not reveal.
The full-length animated film "Spermageddon" is a production aimed exclusively at adults. It is set to hit theaters in 2025, but the Norwegian creators had their preview during the Annecy animation festival.
Film critics from "The Hollywood Reporter" wrote after the screening: "But 'Spermageddon' is a weird movie — and one whose open-minded politics, whether about teen sex or the benefits of birth control, likely would never pass muster in the U.S. but seem right at home in Scandinavia." Despite doubts, they proclaimed "Spermageddon" as a film that would earn cult status.
The production company's director praises the film
Tristan Du Laz, the CEO of the company Originals Factory, which is set to distribute the film, said in an interview with Variety: "'Spermageddon' marks our first step into full-length animation. We are thrilled and tremendously excited to work on such an original, bold, and defiant film proposal that is fiercely in line with the spirit of the times. This film is our absolute favorite, and we can't wait to share it with the young adult audience it is intended for."
Yohann Comte, chairman of Charades, added: "I couldn’t think of a better distributor for the film. Originals Factory has proved they were one of the only distributors who could be audacious and innovative enough to bring to the theaters the young adult audience with bold indie cinema proposals, while maximizing ancillary revenues."