Mads Mikkelsen is set to star in the action spy thriller The Black Kaiser, directed by Jonas Akerlund.

Written by Mikkelsen and Jayson Rothwell, the film is based on the Dark Horse graphic novel Polar by Victor Santos. It is about how Black Kaiser, the world's most lethal hitman, uncovers a deadly conspiracy protecting a powerful syndicate of killers, and becomes their number one target.

The film is produced by Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer. XYZ Films will executive produce and sell worldwide rights at the Cannes Film Market.

The Black Kaiser marks the second time teaming up of Mikkelsen, Akerlund, Bolt and Kulzer for an adaptation of Santos' graphic novel. They had earlier collaborated for Netflix's Polar, which starred Mikkelsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick, Matt Lucas and Richard Dreyfuss.