FAQ

Outlander was first conceived by director Howard McCain as similar, but not based on, the classic Old English epic poem Beowulf but with Viking overtones. When McCain later joined with Hollywood screenwriter Dirk Blackman to produce the screenplay, Blackman added science fiction elements to the story by changing the main characters into aliens. In an interview with Sci Fi Wire, principal actor Jim Caviezel described Outlander as "kind of like Braveheart (1995) (1995) and Highlander (1986) (1986) combined."

The movie states that the story takes place in 709 A.D. Norway, although it actually was shot around Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Laborador in Canada.

The language he speaks at the start is Old Norse, the precurser from which modern Scandinavian languages such as Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish originated. The actors were coached in Old Norse/Icelandic by an Icelandic professor.

Yes. The Department of English at McMaster University, (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) has placed the text to Beowulf online here. The choice of reading it in old English or translated into modern English is facilitated.