Nikolaj Arcel is a Danish director and screenwriter born in 1972. He established himself on the film scene with the political thriller *Kongekabale* (2004), but he achieved international recognition primarily as a screenwriter, co-writing the adaptation of the novel *The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* (2009), the first installment of the Millennium trilogy. His directorial career reached its peak with the historical drama *A Royal Affair* (2012), starring Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin Film Festival, consolidating his reputation. His subsequent works include the Hollywood adaptation *The Dark Tower* (2017), based on the Stephen King saga, and the period drama *The Promised Land* (2023), which marked a critically acclaimed return and a new, successful collaboration with actor Mads Mikkelsen, earning numerous accolades at the European Film Awards.