In search of the vikings: official movie poster!

We’ve been on an incredible journey exploring the breathtaking fjords, lush green valleys, and shockingly narrow backroads of Norway. Today, Empire Studios is absolutely thrilled to share the very first visual taste of our upcoming feature-length documentary, In Search of the Vikings.

Without further ado, feast your eyes on the official movie poster!

We couldn’t be happier with how this design captures the sheer epic scale of the locations we trekked, and the sisters' essence. We know audiences will fall in love with them and connect deeply to their quest. But as the team was putting the finishing touches on this artwork, it got us thinking about the rich, fascinating history of movie posters themselves.

In the film industry, you’ll often hear us refer to movie posters as "one-sheets." But where does that term actually come from?

A Quick History of the One-Sheet

If you rewind to the early days of cinema in the 1910s, theaters needed a standardized way to promote upcoming attractions outside their doors. The industry settled on a specific size: 27 by 41 inches (today, it has slightly shifted to 27 by 40 inches). Because the design was printed on a single, standard sheet of paper, it was simply dubbed a "one-sheet."

Originally, these posters were printed using stone lithography, a labor-intensive process that produced rich, vibrant colors. Because they were meant to be taped up, folded, or pasted over, early one-sheets were considered highly disposable. Today, surviving posters from the Golden Age of Hollywood are incredibly rare and highly sought after by collectors, sometimes fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.

Over the decades, the art of the one-sheet evolved. We moved from the hand-painted, larger-than-life illustrations of the mid-century (think of the legendary artist Drew Struzan, who painted the iconic posters for Indiana Jones and Star Wars), into the era of digital photography and sleek, modern graphic design.

However, one thing has never changed: a great one-sheet is an invitation. It’s the very first piece of the cinematic world we get to share with you, designed to spark your imagination and make you want to step into the theater.

The Journey Continues This Friday

We hope this poster sparks your imagination as much as the history of a family -- and the Vikings -- has sparked ours. But a still image can only say so much. It's almost time to see them in motion.

The official teaser trailer for In Search of the Vikings will drop THIS FRIDAY at 10:00 AM EDT on the film's official YouTube channel.

Set your alarms, gather your shield-brothers and sisters, and get ready to set sail. We can't wait to show you more.