Magnolia has dropped a trailer for The Quake aka. Skjelvet, a Norwegian import and sequel to the country's hit 2015 tsunami thriller The Wave. Since The Wave's helmer Roar Uthaug was busy directing Alicia Vikander in this year's Tomb Raider movie reboot, he was replaced by cinematographer John Andreas Andersen on the followup. However, cowriter John Kåre Raake did return for the sequel, along with star Kristoffer Joner as geologist Kristian Eikjord.

Joner is probably the only familiar face in The Quake's Norwegian cast for most U.S. moviegoers. In addition to his work in Norway's film and television industries, Joner played supporting roles in The Revenant and, most recently, this summer's Mission: Impossible - Fallout. As suggested by its trailer, The Quake finds Joner's character struggling in the aftermath of The Wave when he realizes that a massive earthquake is about to hit Oslo (where his estranged wife and children now live).

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Though it seems to hit most of the expected natural disaster movie beats (where's Dwayne Johnson when you need him?), The Quake appears to put a fresh spin on its respective subgenre, much like The Wave did. Early buzz following the sequel's screening at Fantastic Fest last month is positive, with The Quake's human drama being praised over its city-wrecking spectacle and CGI (as was also the case with The Wave). You can check out the film's official trailer in the space below, followed by its poster and synopsis.

In 1904 an earthquake with a 5.4 magnitude on the Richter scale shook Oslo. Its epicenter was in the Oslo Rift which runs directly through the Norwegian capital. There are recorded quakes from the rift on a daily basis and geologists cannot be sure, but arguments indicate that we can expect major future earthquakes in this area. When - nobody can say for certain - but we know that the density of people and infrastructure in Oslo is significantly more vulnerable today than in 1904. What if a massive earthquake is looming?

It's certainly interesting to see how Hollywood's current obsession with cinematic universes has led to Norway developing a disaster movie universe of its own with The Wave and The Quake. Norway is even starting to have its own impact on the U.S. film industry, between Uthaug making the leap across the pond and director Hans Petter Moland refashioning his bleak Norwegian action-comedy In Order of Disappearance into next year's Liam Neeson vehicle Cold Pursuit. Elsewhere, I, Tonya helmer Craig Gillespie is preparing to remake Norway's acclaimed LGBTQ coming of age thriller Thelma for American audiences.

Assuming The Quake (which opened in Norway this summer) becomes a global success like The Wave, there's a reasonable chance that Joner's Eikjord will end up battling another natural disaster in the next few years. Perhaps the franchise will continue to take its cues from Hollywood and eventually pit its hero against an alien invasion? One can dream, anyway.

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The Quake begins playing in U.S. theaters and On Demand starting Friday, December 14.

Source: Magnolia Pictures