Stephen Graham’s “sensational” drama confirms exciting cast additions as filming begins

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Filming is now underway in Norway for the upcoming drama Ibelin, directed by Morten Tyldum. The film will tell the remarkable true story of Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who lived with a disability.

Billy Nighy, known for films like Love Actually and Lazarus, and an Oscar nominee for Living in 2023, will now star in the movie, taking over the role originally intended for Anthony Hopkins. He joins a cast that includes Graham, Charlie Plummer, Toni Collette, Isabela Merced, and Maisy Stella.

The film’s cast also includes exciting new additions like Kirby Howell-Baptiste from The Good Place, John Bradley of Game of Thrones, Ekow Quartey (The Arbiter), Ivanna Sakhno (Ahsoka), Jax James (Grantchester), and newcomer Clodagh Bhalla.

Steen, the focus of the 2024 Netflix documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that progressively caused him to lose the ability to move his arms and legs.

He found connection and community through video games, dedicating himself to developing his World of Warcraft character, Ibelin, and building friendships with other players.

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The upcoming film by Tyldum, written by Ilaria Bernardini and refined by Hossein Amini, will tell the story of Steen and his family, along with the World of Warcraft players who became like family to him.

This movie is based on the blog of Steen, who called it Musings of Life. Steen was a gamer who sadly passed away in 2014 at just 25 years old. He left his password with his family, allowing them to find out about his personal thoughts and the friends he made while gaming.

Co-producer Philippe Rousselet told Deadline that Ibelin promises to be a captivating story, brought to life by an exceptional team of filmmakers, particularly Morten, whose films like The Imitation Game, Passengers, and Silo are known for their emotional impact and grand scale.

We’ve brought together a fantastic group of actors, and working with our partners at Pathé and Black Bear, we believe this film will connect with viewers and attract strong interest from distributors worldwide.

Ibelin is yet to announce a release date.

The latest issue of Living Legends, a vibrant, full-color 100-page tribute to Sir David Attenborough, is now available! You can find it at newsstands or purchase it online.

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2026-04-21 14:22