The Viking ship that sailed into the hearts of movie-goers in Universal Pictures' epic blockbuster 'The Odyssey' has returned home with a tale of woe. The replica Viking longship Glad av Gillberga, built by volunteers at the Swedish non-profit organisation Vikingaleden, was left battered and bruised after its six-month stint on set – and it seems Hollywood is refusing to pay up.
According to Peter Olausson, chair of the Vikingaleden association, Universal had promised to cover the £4,500 repair bill for damage sustained during filming. However, despite invoicing the studio over a year ago, the money has yet to materialise – leaving the organisation feeling shipwrecked.
For an outfit with 200 members operating on shoestring budgets, this sum may seem like chicken feed compared to Universal's £185 million production costs. But for Vikingaleden, it's a financial blow that threatens their very ability to keep the cultural heritage torch burning bright.
The Glad av Gillberga is no ordinary vessel – with a pedigree spanning centuries and continents (it's even sailed to Canada!). Its starring role in 'The Odyssey' was a proud moment for its owners, but now it seems Universal has dropped anchor on responsibility.
As production budgets balloon into the stratosphere, contractual disputes like this highlight the elephant in the room: who picks up the tab when big-name studios splash their cash around? In this case, a relatively small sum could be a drop in the ocean for Hollywood's titans, but it's a potentially crippling blow for smaller outfits like Vikingaleden.
The film itself may have grossed £196 million worldwide, but what about the damage to relationships and reputations? Universal Pictures has yet to respond to these allegations – will they come clean or stick their heads in the sand?