The Kingdom (1994)
Lars von Trier's landmark Danish horror-comedy series, where a state-of-the-art Copenhagen hospital becomes a battleground between science and the supernatural.
The Kingdom - Series Information
- Original Title: Riget
- First Air Year: 1994
- Last Air Year: 2022
- Created by: Lars von Trier
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
- Content Rating (US): TV-MA
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode: 68 minutes
- Number of Seasons: 3
- Number of Episodes: 13
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Danish
- Spoken Languages: English, Danish, Latin, Swedish
- First Air Date: November 24, 1994 (United States - TV-MA), November 24, 1994 (Canada - 14+), November 24, 1994 (United Kingdom - 18), November 24, 1994 (Germany - 16), November 24, 1994 (New Zealand - 16), November 24, 1994 (Australia - R18+), November 24, 1994 (Italy - T), November 24, 1994 (Spain - 18)
- Networks: DR1, Viaplay
- Alternative Titles: The Kingdom, meros V' (GR), Hospital der Geister - Teil 2 (DE), Lars von Triers Riget II (DK), Le royaume (CA), Valtakunta (FI), Kralıq (AZ), Birodalom II. (HU), Kuningriik. Exodus (EE)
- Production Companies: Zentropa Entertainments, Film i Väst, Ginger Pictures, DR, ARTE, Coproduction Office, Det Danske Filminstitut, Greco, La Sept-Arte, Liberator Productions, MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Nederlandse Omroepstichting (NOS), Nordisk Film & TV Fond, NRK, RAI, SVT, SVT Malmö, TV Collaboration Fund, WDR, Zentropa International Sweden, BNP Paribas Fortis
- Production Countries: Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden
The Kingdom - Plot
The Kingdom is the most technologically advanced hospital in Denmark, a gleaming bastion of medical science. A rash of uncanny occurrences, however, begins to weaken the staff's faith in science – a phantom ambulance pulls in every night, but disappears; voices echo in the elevator shaft; and a pregnant doctor's fetus seems to be developing much faster than is natural.
The Kingdom - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see what horrors await inside the Kingdom:
A baptism of fear awaits you at... THE KINGDOM
Where to Watch The Kingdom
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The Kingdom - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Lars von Trier
Main Cast
- Søren Pilmark
- Ghita Nørby
- Birgitte Raaberg
- Peter Mygind
- Solbjørg Højfeldt
- Udo Kier
- Laura Christensen
- Ole Emil Riisager
- Henning Jensen
- Birthe Neumann
Writers
- Lars von Trier
- Niels Vørsel
Executive Producers
- Nanna Mailand-Mercado
- Vibeke Windeløv
- Filippa Wallestam
- Anders Kjærhauge
- Peter Aalbæk Jensen
The Kingdom - FAQs
Where can you stream The Kingdom online?
The Kingdom is available to stream on MUBI and through the MUBI Amazon Channel. If you prefer to own it, Fandango At Home offers it for purchase. Availability may vary by region, so checking JustWatch is a reliable way to find current options near you.
Is The Kingdom based on a true story?
Not directly, though Lars von Trier drew loose inspiration from the real Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen — Denmark's largest hospital. The supernatural storylines are entirely fictional, but the institutional setting and its bureaucratic absurdities gave the series a grounded, eerily believable atmosphere.
Why did The Kingdom take nearly 30 years to complete?
After two seasons in the 1990s, the series stalled for decades due to the death of key cast members and Lars von Trier's shifting priorities. The third and final season, subtitled Exodus, finally arrived in 2022, concluding the story with a new cast filling roles left vacant by those who had passed.
How many seasons and episodes does The Kingdom have?
The Kingdom spans 3 seasons and 13 episodes in total, plus 5 additional special episodes. Season 1 (The Kingdom I) and Season 2 (The Kingdom II) each contain 4 episodes, while Season 3 (Exodus), released in 2022, rounds out the story with 5 episodes.
What is The Kingdom about?
Set in Copenhagen's most advanced hospital, The Kingdom blends dark comedy, horror, and medical drama as strange supernatural events unravel the staff's faith in science. A phantom ambulance, ghostly voices, and an unnaturally accelerating pregnancy all signal something deeply wrong beneath the gleaming clinical surface.
Who are the main actors in The Kingdom?
The ensemble cast includes Søren Pilmark, Ghita Nørby, Birgitte Raaberg, Peter Mygind, Solbjørg Højfeldt, Udo Kier, Laura Christensen, Ole Emil Riisager, Henning Jensen, and Birthe Neumann. Ernst-Hugo Järegård and Kirsten Rolffes were standout figures in the original two seasons.
Is The Kingdom worth watching for horror fans?
Absolutely. The Kingdom is a singular achievement — part hospital satire, part ghost story, part surrealist nightmare. Lars von Trier's handheld, sepia-tinted visual style creates an atmosphere unlike anything else on television. Critics and audiences alike have celebrated it as one of the most inventive horror-comedies ever made.
What shows are similar to The Kingdom?
Fans of The Kingdom often enjoy Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital, which is a direct American remake. For similarly atmospheric Scandinavian drama, The Killing and Wallander are strong picks. Garth Marenghi's Darkplace shares its gleeful horror-comedy sensibility, while Dark Shadows offers classic supernatural soap opera thrills.
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