The Northman director Robert Eggers used CGI genitals because ‘no one wanted to get their bits chopped off’

Film director has explained the reasons behind some artificial nudity in new thriller

Robert Eggers has explained the reasons behind using CGI genitals in his new film, The Northman.

The violent historical epic stars Alexander Skarsgård as a Viking prince named Amleth on a quest to avenge his father.

Some battle scenes show characters fighting while naked or minimally clothed.

In a red carpet interview, Eggers confirmed that Skarsgård and his co-star Claes Bang had computer-generated imagery added to their bodies to prevent accidental injury.

“They were actually having to add things digitally because they were wearing thongs because no one wanted to get their bits chopped off,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

“So we actually had to add some CG genitals for certain shots so they didn't look too Ken doll-ish.”

The film also stars Björk, Nicole Kidman and Anya Taylor-Joy. In an interview with The Independent earlier this month, Eggers explained that his enthusiasm for Viking culture began after a visit to Iceland in 2016.

“It was unlike anything else I’d seen,” he said. “The grandeur, the ancientness, the otherworldliness… It was the most powerful experience ever.

“And this is awfully embarrassing to say, but I felt like the Norse gods were really there.”

You can read The Independent’s five-star review of The Northman here.