Vikings: Valhalla is a historical drama streaming television series created by Jeb Stuart for Netflix. It is a sequel to the History's Vikings. Set one hundred years after the events of Vikings,[1] the series chronicles the beginning of the end of the Viking Age, marked by the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.[2] The series was released on Netflix on February 25, 2022.[3]
On March 9, 2022, it was announced that Netflix had renewed the series for a second and third season.[4]
On September 24, 2022, it was announced at Netflix's TUDUM event that the second season would premiere in 2023.[5] On November 21, 2022, it was announced that the second season would premiere on January 12, 2023 on Netflix.[6]
Premise
Set one hundred years after the events of Vikings, as tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and Pagan beliefs. Leif Eriksson, Freydís Eiríksdóttir and Harald Hardrada[7] begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory. The series shows the end of the Viking Age, marked by the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.[2]
Cast
Crew
Executive Producers
Producers
Directors
|
Production Team
|
Episodes
See: Episodes or its respective seasons' page
| Episode | Image | Title | Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.01 | 90 | 
|
The Greenlanders | February 25, 2022 |
| Plotting to avenge a massacre in England, Viking armies converge in Kattegat. However, siblings Leif and Freydis exact a different kind of retribution. | ||||
| 1.02 | 91 | 
|
Viking | February 25, 2022 |
| To save the life of Freydis, Leif agrees to join Canute and Harald's siege of London; Queen Emma dispatches stepson Edmund to secure an ally's help. | ||||
| 1.03 | 92 | 
|
The Marshes | February 25, 2022 |
| On a pilgrimage, Freydis and her party are savagely attacked; Harald and Leif seek a route through the marshes near London as Edmund is crowned king. | ||||
| 1.04 | 93 | 
|
The Bridge | February 25, 2022 |
| Leif proposes an audacious assault on London, one that Emma and Godwin fear their brash and headstrong boy-king, Edmund, will be too reckless to defeat. | ||||
| 1.05 | 94 | 
|
Miracle | February 25, 2022 |
| Schemes, betrayals, and politics rule the day as a new monarch takes the throne of England; Leif is hailed as a hero but secretly questions his faith. | ||||
| 1.06 | 95 | 
|
The Last Daughter of Uppsala | February 25, 2022 |
| Freydis returns to Kattegat and joins a sacred order, Canute solidifies his power in England, and Kåre revisits the holy site of a childhood trauma. | ||||
| 1.07 | 96 | 
|
Choices | February 25, 2022 |
| Olaf makes a pact with Kåre as Kattegat prepares for its defense; in Canute's absence, his father, Sweyn Forkbeard, shares England's throne with Edmund. | ||||
| 1.08 | 97 | 
|
The End of the Beginning | February 25, 2022 |
| Olaf and Kåre gather their forces to invade Kattegat; palace intrigue over control of England's throne results in an unexpected turn of events. | ||||
Production
Development
On January 4, 2019, alongside the announcement that Vikings would end after its sixth season, it was announced that Michael Hirst and MGM Television were developing a spin-off series with writer Jeb Stuart.[8] On November 19, 2019, it was announced that this series, titled Vikings: Valhalla, would take place a century after the end of the original series and would be released on Netflix.[1] The 24-episode series was made by MGM Television, and filmed primarily in Ireland, working from the same Ashford Studios in County Wicklow. The series focuses "on the adventures of Leif Eriksson, Freydis, Harald Hardrada, and the Norman king William the Conqueror".[7]
Casting
On November 28, 2020, it was reported by one news outlet that they believe Danish actor Kenneth Christensen, Icelandic actor Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Swedish actress Frida Gustavsson, and David Oakes had been cast in the series.[3] Frida Gustavsson was later revealed to have been cast as Freydís Eiríksdóttir, while Jóhannes Haukur had been cast as Olaf "the Holy" through erroneously earlier reports stated that he had been cast as Harald Hardrada, a part given to Leo Suter. Caroline Henderson was cast as the current ruler of Kattegat, Jarl Haakon, a character based on Canute the Great's vassal ruler Haakon Ericsson. Bradley Freegard was cast as Canute the Great and Pollyanna McIntosh as his wife Ælfgifu. Sam Corlett was cast as Leif Eriksson.[9]
Other actors include German actress Yvonne Mai has been cast as Merin, and Bill Murphy has been cast as Ogda. Irish actors Alan Devine has been cast as the Ealdorman of Kent and Gavin O'Connor will portray the Ealdorman of East Anglia. Devine and Bosco Hogan have previously appeared in Vikings as Ealdorman Eadric in the second season and Abbot of Lindisfarne in the fifth season, respectively.[3] Jack Mullarkey has been cast as a character named Toke.[10] Ethan Dillon[11] was cast as Vestian.[12][13]
On May 5, 2022, it was announced that Florian Munteanu had joined the cast for Season 3 as General George Maniakes, the historical figure of the Byzantine Empire, who later leads a revolt against the emperor.
Writers
Showrunner Jeb Stuart's writing team includes Vanessa Alexander, Declan Croghan, and Eoin McNamee. The first episode was directed by Niels Arden Oplev.[14]
Filming
Vikings: Valhalla started filming in early October 2020 at Ashford Studios, Wicklow, where previous Vikings was filmed. Shooting was suspended due to a number of positive COVID-19 tests, only to resume after a few days. At the time a number of cast and crew were reported to have tested positive; however, it emerged that the production had received a number of false positive tests.[15][16] Filming was planned to resume at Ashford Studios in Ireland beginning in August 2021.[17]
Production on the second season wrapped in November 2021.[18] Directors include the BAFTA-winning Danish director Niels Arden Oplev, Steve Saint Leger who directed several episodes of Vikings[3] and Hannah Quinn.[19]
Music
The musical score for the first season was composed by the Trevor Morris. Amalie Bruun of Myrkur provided the kulning vocals for the opening credits.[20] The series also made heavy use of music from the album The Word as Power by Lustmord, which was also featured in Season 6 of Vikings.
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 91% approval rating with an average rating of 7.0/10, based on 22 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Reveling in the glory of straightforward adventure storytelling, Valhalla is a bloody good dramatization of Leif Eriksson's conquests."[21] Metacritic gave it a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[22]
Trivia
Coming soon...
Gallery
Images
Posters
Promotional
Videos
External Links
Vikings: Valhalla at the Internet Movie Database
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 ‘Vikings: Valhalla’: Netflix Orders ‘Vikings’ Sequel Series From Michael Hirst, Jeb Stuart & MGM TV
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Is Vikings: Valhalla coming in 2021?
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Netflix’s ‘Vikings: Valhalla’: Everything You Need To Know About The Spin-off
- ↑ Sound the horns. Vikings: Valhalla is returning for Season 2 & 3. SKOL! 🔥⚔️🛡
- ↑ Fire Rains Down In This ‘Vikings Valhalla’ Season 2 Clip
- ↑ Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 returns January 12, 2023 only on @netflix.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Vikings spin-off Valhalla to be filmed for Netflix in Wicklow
- ↑ ‘Vikings’ To End After Season 6, Followup Series In Works At History From Michael Hirst & MGM Television
- ↑ 'Vikings: Valhalla' Cast Members and Characters Revealed for Netflix Spinoff Full of Familiar Vikings
- ↑ Jack Mullarkey cast as Toke
- ↑ BRENNAN ACTING AGENCY
- ↑ Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla: Every Single Detail About The Spin-Off Series
- ↑ Vikings: Valhalla Cast Guide - Where You Know The Actors From
- ↑ ‘Vikings: Valhalla’: Michael Hirst’s Historical Drama Introduces Series Heroes—Netflix Tudum
- ↑ ‘Vikings: Valhalla’: Production Restarts In Ireland After COVID-19 False Positives
- ↑ Vikings spin-off Vikings: Valhalla resumes filming after 'false positive' COVID-19 scare
- ↑ Filming was planned to resume at Ashford Studios in Ireland beginning in August 2021.
- ↑ ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ Season 2 Has Wrapped Production in Ireland
- ↑ ‘Vikings: Valhalla’: Sam Corlett, Frida Gustavsson, Leo Suter, Bradley Freegard Among 10 Cast In Netflix Series
- ↑ Listen to Myrkur Sing on the Theme Song to “Vikings Valhalla” on Netflix
- ↑ VIKINGS: VALHALLA: SEASON 1
- ↑ Vikings: Valhalla: Season 1