Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla were unprecedented hits for the History Channel and Netflix respectively, and both series have helped to put Vikings firmly back in the mainstream. Now, there’s a new offering on the way from creator Michael Hirst, focusing on the legendary warrior, Erik Bloodaxe.
The new series has the potential to blow its predecessors out of the water – or the stormy North Sea – as it will be released on Amazon Prime Video and is likely to benefit from a significantly higher production budget.
Taking Advantage of the Popularity of Vikings in the Mainstream
The sheer popularity of Vikings helped put the legendary Norse seafarers at the forefront of the mainstream entertainment market, and various related offerings emerged in its wake. Some of the most popular games of recent times, for instance, were set in the era, with God of War and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla among them.
There are also numerous slots online for real money that may have taken inspiration from the series’ success, such as Vikings Unleashed Megaways and Viking Forge. Indeed, the abundance of games related to the historical period highlights how they attract widespread fascination.
After Vikings: Valhalla ended on Netflix, there was a huge gap in the market for another Viking-based series on television. Amazon Prime Video made the right decision to swoop in for Hirst’s services and commission him to write a new offering set in a different period of Viking history. The new show will most likely appeal to a huge audience who are ready and waiting for their next epic watch.
Filming Wrapped in 2025
Hirst and his son, Horatio Hirst, penned the screenplay for Bloodaxe together, and it’s set to explore the famous warrior’s ascent to the throne of Norway and his rule from 932 to 934. That means that the events depicted in the show occurred between those of Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla.
The filming of Bloodaxe took place in Ireland and Iceland last summer, and the series is now in post-production. That means there’s a strong chance that it will be released on Amazon Prime at some point in 2026, in what’s looking like an incredible exciting year for the streaming platform. Alongside this new Vikings offering, there are numerous eagerly-anticipated series on the way, including Young Sherlock.
How Many Seasons Could Bloodaxe Run for?
There’s only one season of Bloodaxe confirmed so far, but if it’s a success, there will most likely be many more. The original Vikings series ran for six seasons, while its spinoff lasted for three.
It could depend on how fast the series depicts Bloodaxe’s rise to power. The first series may detail this, and follow-up seasons could explore his reign. The show may also introduce some other characters that the story could follow in later seasons, in the same way Vikings did with Ragnar Lothbrok’s sons.
Bloodaxe doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, but it is on the way. With Vikings hugely popular across the mainstream, this is likely to be a huge hit for Amazon Prime.
