'Stieg Larsson: The Man Who Played With Fire' Trailer Reveals The Unknown Story Of The 'Dragon Tattoo' Author

Stieg Larsson is the writer who created the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series – something you're probably aware of. But how much do you know about Larsson himself? Larsson died of a heart attack in 2004, and his name has been associated primarily with the Dragon Tattoo series ever since. But in addition to writing bestselling novels, Larsson was a journalist who spent his days researching, and exposing, right-wing extremism. A new documentary seeks to show you the true story. Watch the Stieg Larsson: The Man Who Played With Fire trailer below.

I'll confess I knew next to nothing about Stieg Larsson. I certainly didn't know he spent a large part of his career working to expose far-right extremists. With that in mind, the doc The Man Who Played With Fire might be truly enlightening. And based on this trailer, it'll also be pretty intense. The film features both recreations and never-before-seen archive footage, and seeks to showcase Larsson's life's work. The doc also profiles the rise of the right-wing movement in Sweden, making the proceedings extra timely. Here's the official synopsis.

STIEG LARSSON: THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE details famed author Stieg Larsson's legacy and life's work. Creator and writer of the best-selling series "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", which has been adapted into several successful films, Larsson was a dedicated journalist and author whose fascinating and dramatic life has largely been unknown until now. He devoted his time to fighting right wing extremism in the world and spreading the message that democracy is a right that needs to be fought for. The film includes interviews with people close to Larsson, as well as unique material from his private archive, re-enactments and never-before-seen archive footage.

The Man Who Played With Fire comes from director Henrik Georgsson, and will have its debut at the Sundance Film Festival this month. Here's a more detailed synopsis from the Sundance website:

Since his untimely death, Stieg Larsson has become one of the world's most famous authors. His Millennium Trilogy novels—The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels—have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide and spawned multiple film adaptations. Yet in the years before he introduced Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist to the world, Larsson himself faced real-world intrigue and danger as riveting as anything in his novels. An outspoken investigative journalist, he defied intimidation and death threats to expose extremist and racist groups in his native Sweden. Remarkably prescient, Larsson warned of the disturbing growth of the far right as a political force—an admonition that has proved chillingly apt in recent years, in Sweden and beyond.

With unprecedented access to Larsson's meticulously researched and politically charged archives, as well as interviews with his life partner and colleagues, Stieg Larsson – The Man Who Played with Fire reveals a man whose moral compass led him to unwaveringly protect the principles of democracy and freedom from those who would threaten their continued existence ... no matter the cost.