# Joachim Rønning
**Joachim Rønning** (born 1972 in Sandefjord, Norway) is a Norwegian film director and producer whose credits include two of Norway's biggest-grossing films, *Max Manus* (2008) and *Kon-Tiki* (2012)[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/), and the Disney studio blockbusters *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales* (2017), *[Maleficent: Mistress of Evil](https://www.edgepedia.org/maleficent-mistress-of-evil)* (2019), and *Tron: Ares* (2025)[2](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning). He worked as co-director with his childhood friend Espen Sandberg until the two amicably ended the partnership after *Pirates*, and has since directed alone[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/). The two Disney films he directed earned a combined 1.3 billion dollars worldwide[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972, Sandefjord, Norway[4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning) |
| Training | Stockholm Film School, 1992–1994; educational films for the Royal Norwegian Army during military service[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) |
| Breakthrough | *Max Manus* (2008), the highest-grossing Norwegian film of all time; *Kon-Tiki* (2012), the first Norwegian film nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) |
| Hollywood gross | *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales* and *Maleficent: Mistress of Evil* together: 1.3 billion dollars[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) |
| Partnership | Directed with Espen Sandberg as Roenberg (founded 1995) through *Pirates* (2017); solo thereafter[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/) |
| Production company | Co-founder of Motion Blur, with Sandberg and Harald Zwart, one of the largest production companies in Scandinavia[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning) |
| Recent films | *Young Woman and the Sea* (2024), critically acclaimed; *Tron: Ares* (2025)[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) |
## Early life and education
Rønning was born in 1972 in Sandefjord, Norway[4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning). The Library of Congress authority record confirms the 1972-05-30 birth date and lists his occupation as producer and director in the motion picture industry[6](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2007052259.html).
As a teenager he made short films on video with his childhood friend Espen Sandberg[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning). In 1992 the two attended the Stockholm Film School in Sweden, graduating in 1994[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning). Rønning then made educational films for the Royal Norwegian Army during his mandatory military service[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning).
## Partnership with Espen Sandberg
In 1995 Rønning began directing professionally with Sandberg under the name Roenberg, working first in commercials[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). Their advertising work included the [Budweiser](https://www.edgepedia.org/budweiser) spot "Rex," a winner in the USA Today Super Bowl Viewer's Poll, and a Gold Lion at Cannes in 2007 for Hydro's "Train Loop"[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning).
The commercials career led to a feature. [Luc Besson](https://www.edgepedia.org/luc-besson) and his label EuropaCorp noticed the duo and let them co-direct their first feature, *Bandidas* (2006), a French-Mexican-American Western starring [Penélope Cruz](https://www.edgepedia.org/penelope-cruz) and [Salma Hayek](https://www.edgepedia.org/salma-hayek)[7](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-87272/biographie/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning). Rønning, Sandberg, and the Dutch-Norwegian filmmaker Harald Zwart (director of *The Karate Kid*, 2010) then founded Motion Blur, one of the largest production companies in Scandinavia[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning). The pair also directed two episodes of the Netflix series *Marco Polo* (2014–2016)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning).
## Breakthrough: Max Manus and Kon-Tiki
The war film *Max Manus*, about the Norwegian resistance fighter, became the highest-grossing Norwegian film of all time[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). It received the Amandaprisen for best film; the Norwegian encyclopedia dates the award to 2008, while Rotten Tomatoes records the People's Amanda, the Amanda Awards' best-picture equivalent, as a 2009 honor[4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning).
*Kon-Tiki* (2012), about [Thor Heyerdahl](https://www.edgepedia.org/thor-heyerdahl)'s Kon-Tiki expedition, made history in 2013 as the first Norwegian film ever nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, in the best foreign-language film categories[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning). It was the highest-grossing Norwegian film of 2012, and, more consequentially for the directors' careers, introduced Rønning and Sandberg to international audiences[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning).
## Hollywood studio career
After the *Marco Polo* episodes, Rønning and Sandberg were announced as directors of *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales*, released in 2017[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning). The title is printed as *Dead Men Tell No Tales* by the Danish Film Institute, Rotten Tomatoes, and Deadline, while some European territories and the Norwegian and Swedish databases use *Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge*; both names refer to the same film[2](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning) • [4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning). Rønning followed it with *Maleficent: Mistress of Evil* (2019)[2](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning). Together the two films earned 1.3 billion dollars at the global box office[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). The Danish Film Institute's filmography also credits him as executive producer of the Norwegian feature *Beatles* (2014)[2](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning).
## Solo directing and recent work
After *Pirates*, Rønning and Sandberg decided to part ways as directors. Rønning described the split as amicable: "We are great friends, but I don't think we'll work together again," adding that a solo vision is easier for a director[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/).
*Young Woman and the Sea* (2024), starring [Daisy Ridley](https://www.edgepedia.org/daisy-ridley) as the swimmer Trudy Ederle[7](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-87272/biographie/), was initially slated to go straight to streaming on Disney+, but producer [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-bruckheimer) helped secure a limited theatrical release through Disney on May 31, 2024, after the film tested in the high 90s among preview audiences[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/). It premiered in 2024 to strong critical acclaim[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). Next came *Tron: Ares* (2025), which wrapped shooting in May 2024 and was slated for an October 2025 theatrical release, starring [Jared Leto](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-leto) and Jeff Bridges with a soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/) • [3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). Rønning has also said he would like to return to a Norwegian project, one that he develops himself[1](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/).
## By the numbers
The measurable record spans three markets. In Norway, *Max Manus* set the all-time domestic gross record in 2008 and *Kon-Tiki* was the highest-grossing Norwegian film of 2012[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning). In Hollywood, the two Disney films grossed 1.3 billion dollars combined[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). In awards, *Max Manus* received the Amanda for best film (dated 2008 by SNL and identified as the People's Amanda in 2009 by Rotten Tomatoes), while *Kon-Tiki* received dual Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, a first for Norwegian cinema[4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning) • [3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning).
## Themes and reception
Rønning's filmography includes historical subjects, among them a Norwegian resistance fighter (*Max Manus*), Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition (*Kon-Tiki*), and the swimmer Trudy Ederle (*Young Woman and the Sea*)[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [4](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning) • [7](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-87272/biographie/), as well as Disney studio films, among them a *Pirates* sequel, a *Maleficent* sequel, and *Tron: Ares*[2](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning) • [3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning). *Max Manus* and *Kon-Tiki* broke Norwegian box-office records, and *Young Woman and the Sea* premiered in 2024 to great critical acclaim[3](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning).
## References
1. [International Disruptors: Joachim Rønning Talks 'Young Woman And The Sea' & 'Tron: Ares', Deadline (November 2024)](https://deadline.com/2024/11/international-disruptors-joachim-ronning-trudy-ederle-young-woman-and-the-sea-tron-ares-1236100249/)
2. [Joachim Rønning, Danish Film Institute film database](https://www.dfi.dk/en/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/person/joachim-ronning)
3. [Joachim Rønning, RSA Films director biography](https://rsafilms.com/us/directors/joachim-ronning)
4. [Joachim Rønning, Store norske leksikon](https://snl.no/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning)
5. [Joachim Rønning Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joachim_ronning)
6. [Roenning, Joachim, 1972-, LC Linked Data Service, Library of Congress](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2007052259.html)
7. [Joachim Rønning : Sa biographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-87272/biographie/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Film directors by country and region › Continental European directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license