Prime Grants ‘Bloodaxe’ a Season 2 Ahead of Series Debut
Amazon is confident enough in the not-yet-released 'Bloodaxe' that it’s already greenlit Season 2.
Prime Video has officially greenlit a second season of its forthcoming Viking drama Bloodaxe. If this announcement feels strange, it’s because this renewal news is arriving exceptionally early — the first season of Bloodaxe doesn’t have a premiere date yet, and we still haven’t seen any footage or images from the project.
(Someone at Amazon must feel quite confident about it, is what I’m saying.)
The series hails from Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla creator Michael Hirst and follows the story of the famous warrior Erik Haraldsson, who was — you guessed it — also known as Bloodaxe (and “Brother-Slayer” if you want a hint about where all this is going). The son of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, Erik himself ruled for just two years before being deposed and exiled, but the bloody fight for the throne both before and after his reign looms large in many Icelandic sagas.
The dramatic setting means there’s plenty of violence, betrayal, and bloodshed to depict, and the sketchy historical details surrounding the lives of its main figures give Bloodaxe a lot of flexibility in terms of where it takes its story. From beefing with his brothers, marrying a woman rumored to be a powerful witch, and even becoming King of Northumbria at one point, there’s certainly no shortage of bonkers events that will make for suitably dramatic TV.
Here’s the series’ description.
Bloodaxe is an epic historical drama that chronicles the rise of one of history’s most famous Viking warriors, Erik Bloodaxe, and his formidable wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings. As they fight for the throne of Norway, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals. With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom, drawing in the ruthless Kings of other Scandinavian countries, and even a powerful English ruler, the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling and utterly magical new Viking Saga.
Xavier Molyneux (Neighbours) and Jessica Masden (Bridgerton) as the titular Bloodaxe and his (possibly witchy) wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings. The cast also features Rod Hallett (The Last Kingdom) as Athelstan, King of Wessex; Jesper Christensen (James Bond) as King Harald Fairhair; Rune Temte (Time Bandits) and Danish actor Sisse Marie (Siren) as Gunnhild’s parents, Gorm and Thyra, the King and Queen of Denmark; Karlis Arnolds Avots (Soviet Jeans) as Egil; and Alina Tomnikov (The Worst Idea Ever) in the dual roles of Greta and The Seer.
Hirst and his son Horatio serve as the series’s showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Additional executive producers include Steve Stark under his Toluca Pictures label, Arturo Interian, Morgan O’Sullivan, John Weber, and Sheila Hockin.
Bloodaxe Season 2 is expected to film in Ireland this summer. Season 1 still does not have a premiere date, but it is expected to debut on Prime Video later this year. All previous installments of the Vikings franchise are available to stream on Netflix.
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