It hasn't even premiered, but Prime Video just greenlit season 2 of its new Viking epic
Prime Video swings early, renewing Viking epic Bloodaxe for Season 2—years before Season 1 lands in 2027.
Right, if you thought we’d had our fill of axe-swinging, prophecy-chasing Norsemen on telly, apparently not. Michael Hirst, the mastermind behind Vikings, is back at it—this time with Bloodaxe for Prime Video. We’re not staying in Ragnar’s shadow either. This new drama goes all-in on the notorious Erik Bloodaxe and his better half, Gunnhild, who really weren’t your average medieval power couple.
The Bloodaxe Backstory
Here’s the gist: Erik Bloodaxe (played by Xavier Molyneux) and Gunnhild (Jessica Madsen—who also answers to "Mother of Kings," which probably tells you everything about her vibe) held the reins in 10th century Norway. These two didn’t sit on their hands. They united kingdoms, started vicious feuds and, as you do when everyone’s after your throne, ended up forced out in a rather bloody fallout. It’s history, but there’s plenty of room for embellishment and spectacle—which Hirst is absolutely not shy about embracing.
Magic, Ravens, and Christian Conversion
Hirst’s vision is not just more helmeted blokes hitting each other against moody fjord backdrops. He’s teased a strong dose of magical realism: think spirits, visions, ancient gods barging into the everyday, and Viking existential crises. He wants audiences to feel what it was like to believe in Odin, not just watch it from a safe distance. His words to Variety sum it up:
"We live in angry times, and everything is horrible, including a lot of the shows. But I've always loved magical realism. King Arthur, the Bible — that's magical realism, too. You have to be very careful how you use it, though, and the audience needs to be aware that you're emphasizing something real."
There’s one scene Hirst has already been crowing about: Erik’s younger half-brother Haakon (Levi Miller)—who’s been sent off to England to become a respectable Anglo-Saxon—tries to pray in church, only to be interrupted by a parliament of ravens and a cameo from Odin. Don’t be surprised if we end up with Valkyries turning up mid-slaughter, or Mimir and the World Tree floating about in someone's vision quest.
Season 1 Focus and Cast Rundown
- Erik Bloodaxe – Xavier Molyneux (our main anti-hero, swinging swords and allegiances)
- Gunnhild – Jessica Madsen (she’s the schemer, and not at all shy about it)
- Haakon – Levi Miller (Erik’s half-brother, Viking gone west, clearly torn in all kinds of ways)
- Egil – Karlis Arnolds Avots (the wildcard—berserker, poet, and legitimate founding father of Iceland, according to legend; basically, chaos on legs who’ll stoke the fire between the brothers)
Season 1 is set to hone in on the rivalry between Erik and Haakon. Egil, very much not just along for the ride, is written as a force of nature—fearless, unpredictable, and occasionally spouting poetry with all the existential angst you'd expect from a saga hero.
Christianity vs Paganism Angle
If you love your Viking shows dark and laced with religious turmoil, Hirst is promising the big pivot: Norway’s rulers weighing up whether to go full conversion to Christianity in exchange for dodgy alliances with European kings. There’ll be the usual pillaging, but apparently also plenty of soul-searching and attempts to leave the old gods (and their sacrifices) behind.
Bloodaxe is already renewed for a second season, before anyone’s even seen an episode. Whether you’re here for the duels or the spiritual unease, it’ll all land on Prime Video early 2027.