Mads Mikkelsen is set to headline the dark comedy “Riders of Justice” written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, the well-known Danish helmer and screenwriter of Susanne Bier’s Oscar-winning “In a Better World.”

Mikkelsen will star in the film alongside Nikolaj Lie Kaas (“The Department Q Series”), Lars Brygmann (“That Time of the Year), Nicolas Bro (“Nymphomaniac”), Gustav Lindh (“Queen of Hearts”), Roland Møller (“Valhalla”) and the newcomer Andrea Heick Gadeberg (“Daniel”).

The story revolves Markus, a deployed military man who has to go home to his teenage daughter, Mathilde, when his wife dies in a tragic train accident. It seems to be plain bad luck – but it turns out that it might have been a carefully orchestrated assassination, which his wife ended up being a random casualty of.

Produced by leading Scandinavian company Zentropa, the €5.3 million movie is represented in international markets by TrustNordisk which is describing the film as a “modern fable about solidarity, the randomness of the universe … and, well, the meaning of life.”

Jensen, who’s collaborated with directors such as Bier, Lone Scherfig, Nikolaj Arcel and Niels Arden Oplev,

has directed several films, including “Flickering Lights,” “The Green Butchers” and “Adam’s Apples.” He was awarded the Honorary Bodil Award for his overall achievement in Danish cinema in 2003.

“We are really excited to be on board this Zentropa production and look forward to diving into the quirky universe, which Anders Thomas Jensen has created in this brilliant script,” said Susan Wendt, the managing director of TrustNordisk.

Wendt said TrustNordisk successfully handled “Green Butchers” and “Adam’s Apples” and is “confident that ‘Riders of Justice’ will exceed the international success of these titles.”

“Anders Thomas Jensen’s unique talent for storytelling is something that continues to attract people of all nationalities,” said the executive.

The film just started shooting and is being produced by Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Sidsel Hybschmann for Zentropa Entertainments3, and is co-produced by Film I Väst and Zentropa Sweden.

“Riders of Justice” is expected to be released in December.