Owners of Viking ship used to film The Odyssey say studio has not paid bill for damage

The Glad av Gillberga was used as one of the escort vessels in the flotilla, which are thought to have been similar to Nordic Viking ships. Photograph: GCMC/Peter OlaussonView image in fullscreenThe Glad av Gillberga was used as one of the escort vessels in the flotilla, which are thought to have been similar to Nordic Viking ships. Photograph: GCMC/Peter OlaussonOwners of Viking ship used to film The Odyssey say studio has not paid bill for damage Swedish nonprofit alleges cost to repair replica was £4,500 but Universal – which made £196m on film’s opening weekend – has not stumped upThe Swedish owners of a Viking longship replica that features in Hollywood blockbuster The Odyssey say they feel “forgotten” after film-makers allegedly returned the vessel damaged and failed to foot the bill for repairs.

In nearly three decades at sea, the warship Glad av Gillberga – which is based on a wreck from around 1040 found in Denmark’s Roskilde fjord – has successfully sailed the North Sea, the Baltic and even voyaged to Canada.But after just over six months in the hands of Universal, which according to its owners promised to cover the cost of any repairs, it allegedly sustained considerable damage including to the stern and the mast.Vikingaleden, a nonprofit Viking centre in Värmland, western Sweden, said that when it invoiced Universal for the materials used to repair their ship (they did not charge for their volunteer labour), no payment arrived.

View image in fullscreenMatt Damon stars as Odysseus in The Odyssey. Photograph: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal PicturesA year later, while the Christopher Nolan epic starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya storms global box offices, taking $264m (£196m) in its opening weekend alone, they say they are still waiting for their $6,000 (£4,500) payment.Peter Olausson, chair of the Vikingaleden association, said while he feels proud that their ship was featured in the film – he counted 10 appearances – that feeling has been tinged with injustice after the film giant’s alleged failure to cover the cost of damages.

“We are only charging for the material cost, not the labour,” he said. “Of course Universal can afford this $6,000. We feel forgotten.”

Some of the damage allegedly caused to the boat’s woodwork. Photograph: SVTThe ship is now back in action but Olausson accused Universal of going back on their word. “The agreement was that we would fix it and get financially reimbursed.”

Olausson said that to Universal, the outstanding sum would be comparatively small, but for the 200-member association which runs the Viking “village” and museum, it is a significant amount.Universal has been contacted for comment.Paint damage allegedly caused to the boat.

Photograph: SVTThe critically acclaimed film, which reportedly cost $250m to make, is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem about King of Ithaca Odysseuson a 10-year journey at sea home from the Trojan war.Glad av Gillberga was used as one of the escort vessels in the flotilla, which are thought to have been similar to Nordic Viking ships.The main ship, Odysseus’s boat, was the 35-metre-long Norwegian replica Draken Harald Hårfagre.

Its Swedish captain, Björn Ahlander, has said life on the ships filming for six months around Greek and Italian islands was not easy for the 30-man crew. He told broadcaster SVT: “We rebuilt the ship into an ancient Greek ship. We removed the tents and all the modern things and had an open deck that we lived on during this time.

It was quite tough.”Explore more on these topicsSwedenThe OdysseyEuropeShareReuse this content