Danish director Ole Bornedal, of Nightwatch (Nattevagten) fame, will direct Slaughterhouse Dybbøl (Slagtebænk Dybbøl), a DKK 90m ($14.9m) double feature based on Danish author Tom Buk-Swienty’s award-winning book.

Denmark’s Miso Film, which has developed the war epic since February, is currently packaging the production and expects to include participation from public broadcaster, DR, as well as Nordic and German companies.

”Targeting audiences in all ages, combining Bornedal’s artistic integrity, DR’s sense of variety and quality, our own commercial approach and experience, it cannot go that bad,” said producer Peter Bose.

The April 18, 1864, Battle of Dybbøl was the key campaign in the second war of Schleswig, where Denmark suffered a severe defeat to the German Federation (Prussia, Austria) which decided the war.

Buk-Swienty, a journalist-turned-author, added contemporary letters and dairies to his research for Slaughterhouse Dybbøl, which was named Best Historical Book in Denmark 2009.

Bornedal, whose The Substitute (Kandidaten/2007) exceeded 200,000 tickets domestically and was sold for a US remake, is currently scripting the film with Jeppe Gjervig Gram; principal photography is due early 2012.

Danish broadcaster DR is involved in the double-feature, which drama chief Ingolf Gabold also sees as a candidate for the major historical drama series the station has been charged to do in the state’s recent Media Agreement.

”Ideally, we would make the film and a 4x60mins television series, followed by another 4x60mins from Doomsday Als (Dommedag Als), Buk-Swienty’s not-yet published sequel,” Bose explained.

Miso Film is currently producing the second package of Norwegian Varg Veum thrillers, comprising six full-length features, and He Who Kills (Den som dræber), six films based on Danish author Elsebeth Egholm’s crime novels.

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