Brief

Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård Star in ‘Wicker’ at Zurich Film Festival

The film’s raunchy content and unique production drew attention at its European debut.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:42:04 GMT

At the Zurich Film Festival, the European premiere of Wicker attracted headlines for its erotic scenes featuring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård. Colman, who plays a medieval fisherwoman, praised the script as one of the best she has read, describing it as “beautiful, funny and original.” Skarsgård, known for darker roles, said the role was a departure, noting he had to embrace a softer side and that the character was “sweet, tender and caring.” The film’s visual effects were created by the Wētā Workshop, which built a practical wicker husband for Skarsgård to wear; he described the experience as “extraordinary” and recalled the difficulty of moving with the mask. The story follows the fisherwoman’s marriage to a wicker husband created by a basket weaver, and the film explores themes of marriage and gender roles while maintaining a comedic tone reminiscent of Monty Python. The production was directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, and adapted from Ursula Wills‑Jones’s short story “The Wicker Husband.”

Key facts

Olivia Colman praised the script as one of her top three (variety.com)
Alexander Skarsgård described the role as a departure from his usual darker characters (variety.com)
The wicker husband was created by the Wētā Workshop (variety.com)
The film premiered at the Zurich Film Festival (variety.com)