Nearly a decade ago, History’s Vikings premiered and explored a bygone age that dramatized the life of the legendary warrior Ragnar Lothbrok and his contemporaries. Now, the new spinoff sequel series, Vikings: Valhalla, is heading directly to Netflix next month with a new roster of Viking heroes. In the first official teaser trailer for the show, a small kingdom in England pays the price for trying to withstand the might of the Viking invaders.
While Vikings: Valhalla is set 100 years after Vikings, it takes place nearly 1,000 years ago in the early 11th century. This is the era that saw many of the greatest Vikings who ever lived, including the explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), as well as his half-sister, Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and the warrior prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter). At this point in time, the Vikings controlled Normandy and most of England. However, the Vikings’ battles with the English will pale in comparison to their ideological fight with themselves.
The series will follow Leif as he leads his people across the North Atlantic sea. Closer to home, Freydis embraces her Norse roots and religion in the wake of a rising number of Vikings who follow the Christian faith. Freydis wants to find a new homeland for her people, but her ambitions may put her in conflict with Harald’s plans for his people. Meanwhile, the English struggle to maintain their foothold in their own country.
Bradley Freegard also stars in the series as King Canute, with Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Olaf Haraldsson, Caroline Henderson as Jarl Haakon, Laura Berlin as Emma of Normandy, David Oakes as Earl of Godwin, Louis Davison as Prince Edmund, Bosco Hogan as King Aethelred II, Asbjørn Krogh Nissen as Jarl Kåre, Pollyanna McIntosh as Aelfgifu of Northampton, and Soren Pilmark as King Sweyn Forkbeard.
Vikings: Valhalla was created by Michael Hirst and Jeb Stuart, both of whom will executive produce the series. Morgan O’Sullivan, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh and Alan Gasmer will also executive produce the series for Netflix. The first eight-episode season is slated to premiere on Netflix on Friday, February 25.
