Vikings may have finally come to a dramatic end, but fans of the series needn’t fear – another helping of epic Norse drama is coming our way.
Creator Michael Hirst has devised an offshoot series titled Vikings: Valhalla, which takes place around 100 years after the events of the popular Vikings series and chronicles the famous Vikings of history, focusing on the tensions between the English and the Vikings.
And judging by the new trailer that has dropped and given fans a first look at the bloody battle scenes coming up, there’s certainly a lot to get excited about (read more on this below).
The cast for the series has now been announced, featuring a combination of Scandinavian and British actors.
So, without further ado, read on for everything we know so far about Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla.
Vikings: Valhalla release date – when is it coming to Netflix?
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Vikings: Valhalla is set to land on Netflix on 25th February 2022, with all episodes dropping on the streaming giant at the same time.
Fans in the US will have access to the new show at midnight, while viewers in the UK will have to wait until 8am.
The show went into production in August 2020, five months later than originally planned.
The original Vikings series was made for the History Channel in the US and has traditionally been broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
Vikings: Valhalla cast
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The full cast for the new series was released in January 2021, with the lead stars including The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson and Swedish model Frida Gustavsson – who has previously appeared in The Witcher – as Freydis Eriksdotter.
Leo Suter, who has previously appeared on a number of popular period dramas in the UK including Sanditon and Victoria, will play Harald Sigurdsson while Keeping Faith star Bradley Freegard plays King Canute and former Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom cast member Jóhannes Jóhannesson plays Olaf Haraldson.
Other actors set to play prominent roles include German star Laura Berlin as Emma of Normandy, David Oakes (The White Queen, Victoria) as Earl Godwin, pop and jazz singer Caroline Henderson as Jarl Haakon, Pollyanna McIntosh (M.I. High, The Walking Dead) as Queen Ælfgifu and Asbjørn Krogh Nissen as Jarl Kåre.
Meanwhile, Die Hard writer Jeb Stuart will serve as showrunner, and many of the crew from the original Vikings series, including executive producer Morgan O’Sullivan, are returning.
Vikings: Valhalla trailer
The trailer for Vikings: Valhalla gives fans a first look at the bloody battle scenes galore.
“You have been summoned here to avenge the death of Vikings,” King Canut of Denmark (Bradley Freegard) shouts in the trailer. “Bring me England!”
Harald Sigurdsson, who was the King of Norway between 1046 and 1066, tells his men: “This blood is not my blood. It is our blood. It is Viking blood.”
Vikings: Valhalla plot – what is the series about?
Set 100 years after the events of the original show, Netflix says the series is set to follow the “most famous Vikings who ever lived.” Characters will include legendary figure Leif Erikson as well as Freydis, Harald Harada and Norman King William the Conqueror, who will all “blaze new paths as they fight for survival in an ever-changing and evolving Europe.”
Channing Dungey, Netflix’s vice president of original series, said, “Vikings: Valhalla promises to be everything that fans love about the franchise: heart-pounding, unstoppable action rooted in rich characters and dramatic storytelling that shines the light on family, loyalty, and power.”
Will Vikings: Valhalla feature characters from the original series?
Given that the show is taking place a century after the events of the original, you’d be forgiven for imagining there won’t be much in the way of crossover between the two series.
But speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Michael Hirst teased that we could see some familiar faces. He said that the show was, “leading up to 1066 and the invasion of England by a descendant of Rollo – so you may well see the odd familiar face.” Intriguing…
Vikings: Valhalla is coming to Netflix on 25th February 2022.
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