‘Vikings: Valhalla’ preview: First look at the third (and final!) season
Netflix has released some new images teasing the return of Vikings: Valhalla!
A spin-off from the History Channel series Vikings, which launched a decade ago in 2013, the epic drama series debuted last year.
The show was a massive hit, as expected, and Netflix swiftly confirmed the commission of a further two seasons.
Set in the early 11th century, Vikings: Valhalla follows a new generation of legendary heroes a hundred years after the events of Vikings.
As tension arises between the Vikings and the English, a cast of characters inspired by Norse mythology must fight for their own beliefs, territory, and legacy.
We’ve now got a sneak peak at the upcoming episodes in some official Season 3 photos:
It’s not all good news, however, as Netflix has revealed the next season will also be the show’s last!
“All epic sagas must come to an end,” they announced earlier this month, “and Vikings: Valhalla will embark on one last adventure in Season 3.”
“I am so grateful to have had three seasons to tell the stories of Leif, Harald, and Freydís,” commented co-creator Jeb Stuart.
“I knew from the beginning that I wanted to show the evolution of how three of the most famous Vikings became the icons we know today, and we have done just that,” he told Netflix.
“I hope when the audience gets to see the new season, they’ll be excited by all the new heights that we’ve taken these heroes.”
Here’s a shot of Harald Sigurdsson, played by Sanditon star Leo Suter, in what seems to be a rather perilous situation:
Executive producer Jeb Stuart has explained why it’s the right time for Vikings: Valhalla to end, saying: “When we started this project five years ago, I worked hard with this incredible cast and crew to craft a journey that we all hoped would be satisfying.
“Of course with real historical figures, there are always more aspects of their lives that could be explored, but it made sense storywise for our Leif, Freydís, and Harald’s voyages to end with our third season.
“And we really cannot wait for the fans to see the conclusion of this chapter of history.”
It certainly sounds like the series will be going out on a high, with Netflix promising that “the ship won’t be sailing off into the sunset quietly.”
We’re told that “the danger is far from over for Harald Sigurdsson, Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), and Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson) — and there might also be a long-awaited reunion for the trio.”
A couple of new characters will also be introduced alongside the returning familiar faces, with E.R. star Goran Višnjić playing Erik the Red, Leif and Freydís’ father.
We’ll also meet Maniakes, a fearless Byzantine general who answers only to the Emir, played by Florian Munteanu (Creed II, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
When’s the release date?
So far the only official word from Netflix is that “the epic conclusion sets sail in 2024.”
But with Season 2 dropping in February 2022 and the show’s second season arriving in January 2023, it seems a safe bet that we’ll definitely be returning to Valhalla in the first quarter of next year.
Every episode of Vikings is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.