Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most original directors working today. Meshing ultra-violence with absurd dialogue, Refn crafts films that are truly unique to his vision. Focusing on the dark underbelly of crime, the filmmaker portrays this world in a surreal fashion with everything from exaggerated and over-the-top violence to ridiculously long shots, idiosyncratic dialogue, and endings that leave much to all to the interpretation of the viewer. Even the lowest-scored Refn film is worth watching because, with each film, he attempts to tell stories in ways few other filmmakers have before.
Copenhagen Cowboy is rumored to be the latest project from Refn, hot off his dip into streaming with his Amazon original series, Too Old to Die Young. There is a ton of mystery hanging in the air regarding his new project, but the title isn't surprising. On the set of Too Old to Die Young, Refn was often seen wearing a cowboy hat, and the series was somewhat reminiscent of the lawlessness of the Old West in modern form. With Copenhagen Cowboy, Refn might just be diving into the niche world of the acid western, putting his unique Danish spin on the genre.
Here's what we know so far.
Copenhagen Cowboy: Possible Plot & Controversy
Through his Instagram, Refn has been promoting a mysterious project known as the Copenhagen Cowboy. His daughter Lizzie Lou Refn takes center stage in the minimalist promotions, equivalent to Refn taking a photo and then scribbling Copenhagen Cowboy over it. The show gained publicity in December 2021 when PETA released a complaint against the production due to its killing of a pig on set. The complaint was sent to the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, as PETA implored the scene to be cut from the finished product.
On the recently formed Instagram page for the project, Refn has been teasing the project with a quote, now since removed, from Joan of Arc, "I am not afraid. I was born to do this." Refn has also included a Tolstoy quote over the image of pigs, "all violence consists in some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do." Based on these quotes, it's safe to assume the project will center around the criminal world of Copenhagen once again, same as Pusher and the same as Too Old to Die Young did with Los Angeles.
Copenhagen Cowboy: The Cast
The project is set in Denmark, with Zlatko Burić cast to star alongside Lizzie Lou Refn. The question to be posed is whether Lizzie Lou will be playing the cowboy? If she is Joan of Arc, perhaps her character will lead some great battle in the criminal underworld, achieving victories to meet a brutal demise. This would fit with the trend of Refn's recent works and how he crafts his characters' arcs, but Lizzie Lou may play another character in the story and not the cowboy.
In Refn's promotional pictures, Lizzie Lou is portrayed in elegant clothing and floral face art, suggesting she may be playing another character central to the story. Still, like many of Refn's female leads, this elegant persona may simply be a cover for a much more powerful and dangerous character. Jodorowsky was one of the pioneers of the acid western in the '70s with his cult hit El Topo, the story of an outlaw who kills the greatest guns in the west to find himself empty, seeking the road to enlightenment and rebirth. If Refn takes any inspiration from El Topo -- and he likely will -- Copenhagen Cowboy could be about a renowned gunslinger in the criminal underworld of Copenhagen who seeks some form of enlightenment and/or escape.
Copenhagen Cowboy: Release Date
While no release date is currently known.
Refn, the Surrealist
Nicolas Refn started his career with the Pusher Trilogy, a Copenhagen-based crime drama centered on the drug dispensing underbelly of Copenhagen. The original Pusher introduced audiences to Mads Mikkelsen, who has collaborated on four Refn films -- Pusher, Pusher II, Bleeder, and Valhalla Rising. In between his production of the Pusher films, Refn made two lesser-known crime dramas, Bleeder and Fear X, the latter of which pushed Refn's film production company, Jang Go Star, into collapse due to its financial failure.
Refn has since recovered from this failure and currently operates his own production company, Space Rocket Nation, which holds an emphasis on helping up-and-coming Danish filmmakers. Bronson, Valhalla Rising, and Drive helped to build Refn into a household name, with Valhalla Rising being the only one of the three films to not focus on crime, taking a surreal and almost dreamlike approach to the portrayal of Christian Nords attempting to find Jerusalem.
Only God Forgives was Refn's passion project. The film is about an American drug trafficker in Thailand, Julian (Ryan Gosling), forced by his domineering mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), to avenge his brother's death. Due to its extremely dark tone, unsympathetic characters, and slow pacing, it was largely dismissed by audiences and called pretentious by some critics, with even Ryan Gosling unable to elevate it into the mainstream. The shooting of the film was documented in Liv Corfixen's (Refn's wife) documentary, My Life Directed By Nicholas Winding Refn.
The Neon Demon was Refn's most recent film, starring Elle Fanning as Jesse, and it tells the story of a young woman attempting to enter the cruel world of Los Angeles fashion. In a way, The Neon Demon was Refn's first horror film. What binds all of Refn's films is his growing taste for surrealism, inspired by Chilean-surrealist Alejandro Jodorowsky, to who he dedicated Only God Forgives.
The over-the-top violence, liberal and graphic portrayals of sexuality, ambiguous/tormented characters looking for purpose, and lingering and dreamlike endings make a Refn film what it is. His exaggerated worlds attempt to criticize societal elements such as law enforcement, the fashion industry, and the elite's hold over society. Unlike Jodorowsky, though, Refn often uses surrealism to display dismal predictions on the direction of modern society.
When Copenhagen Cowboy is eventually released, it is sure to be a surreal romp through the streets of Copenhagen, where lawlessness reigns and morality is ambiguous. We expect an urban acid western with a modern twist with no shortage of controversy and memorable imagery.