Stockholm, Sweden – Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, best known for his viral cult hit Kung Fury, has unveiled his next movie project: Dragonlord. Described as a “crazy mishmash” of Star Wars, Mad Max, and Lord of the Rings, the film promises an over-the-top mix of action, fantasy, and sci-fi.
Sandberg will write, direct, and star in Dragonlord, which is currently in development. He describes it as a “fantasy punk” adventure set in a world where dinosaurs from the past coexist with robots from the future. The film features big guns, giant swords, and a host of bizarre characters.
At the heart of the story is Dragonlord, a treasure-hunting hero played by Sandberg. His best friend is a laid-back T-Rex named Blaze Falcon, who prefers playing video games over treasure quests. But when Blaze is kidnapped by the evil villain Dreadmancer, Dragonlord must assemble a wild team of heroes to save him.
“It’s a really fun, really rich world with a lot of funny characters,” Sandberg said. “It’s tonally similar to Kung Fury.”
The cast of characters includes the Dread Riders—similar to Stormtroopers—a tech expert named Quantum Cobra, a sword-wielding former villain called Sword Lord (who turned good after falling in love with his unicorn), a muscle-bound character named Titanus (whose name is often mispronounced), and Budgie, a bird-man who defecates acid.
“There’s no movie exactly like it,” Sandberg added. “It’s like He-Man meets Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, and Mad Max… but different.”
The Dragonlord script is being finalized, with casting set to begin soon. Filming is planned for spring 2026. Unlike Kung Fury, which relied heavily on green screens, Dragonlord will be shot using advanced virtual production technology at a facility in Finland. Sandberg says this approach will help build a richer world while keeping production costs under control.
The project is fully financed by Mikko Kodisoja, Finnish entrepreneur and co-founder of mobile gaming giant Supercell, known for Clash of Clans. Sandberg and Kodisoja partnered to create original, high-concept film properties, with Dragonlord being the first in a planned slate.
The announcement comes nearly 10 years after Kung Fury premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. A feature-length sequel starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Fassbender was filmed in 2019 but has since been stuck in legal limbo due to issues with a Chinese financier. A leaked 10-minute reel recently sparked online buzz, though the film remains unreleased.
Sandberg called the delays “heartbreaking” and said they led to a period of deep depression. But the experience also pushed him to create again, and Dragonlord was born from that process.
With full funding secured and no need for pre-sales, Sandberg plans to complete Dragonlord before seeking distribution. While fans still hope to see the long-awaited Kung Fury sequel, Sandberg is now focused on building a new world—one filled with sword-wielding heroes, robot villains, and an acid-pooping bird-man.
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