10 Best Viking Movies Of All Time, Ranked

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One of the oldest subjects in feature films are the Vikings, who were first featured in the silent movie "The Viking" in 1928. Over the years, more Vikings found their way into popular culture as Hollywood tapped into numerous Scandinavian stories to flesh out engrossing narratives with fascinating characters. Even today, big-budget films about Marvel Comics' Thor (Chris Hemsworth) have their roots in Norse mythology and Viking culture, so it's a source that Hollywood often taps for feature films.

There are also some spectacular Viking television series, including Netflix's "Ragnarok," the BBC's "The Last Kingdom," and History's "Vikings," which boasts an extensive timeline. Whatever the story, Viking culture has long been a source of fascination, especially in the West, and there have been some incredibly well-made movies about them. Of course, like any film genre, there have also been many bad movies based on Vikings, but that's a topic for another article. As it happens, some of the best Viking movies are fairly recent, and they're not always historically accurate.

It's not uncommon for Viking films to be purposefully inaccurate, as they often blend history with fantasy. These tell compelling stories while depicting fascinating characters. Other films are as close to historical accuracy as possible. In sum, there's a wide range of movies about Vikings that have entertained the moviegoing masses for decades. These 10 are the best Viking movies of all time, and they're ranked based on an average of their aggregate scores from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic.

• Cast: Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Dennis Storhøi

• Director: John McTiernan, Michael Crichton

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 102 minutes

• Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango

"The 13th Warrior" is an interesting Viking film, as it mixes Scandinavian and Arabic cultures via its lead, Ahmad ibn Fadlan (Antonio Banderas). The film is inspired by the historical accounts of Fadlan and based on Michael Crichton's 1976 novel, "Eaters of the Dead." While the central figure is historical, the story is mostly contrived, as Crichton wanted to craft an entertaining story from "Beowulf," which the plot thematically mirrors in several ways.

Fadlan begins the film as a court poet to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir of Baghdad, but is exiled to the Volga Bulgars in what is now part of Russia. After meeting several Norsemen, Fadlan joins a group of 12 Viking warriors tasked with defeating the "Angel of Death," an inscrutable evil that only 13 warriors can defeat, according to a wisewoman. What follows is a warriors' quest, which plays out similarly to "Beowulf."

Today, "The 13th Warrior" is a cult classic, but when it was released in 1999, the film flopped. Because of delays and reshoots, the production cost skyrocketed to around $160 million, and it only made $61.7 million at the global box office. Regardless, the film remains popular, and despite its Rotten Tomatoes score of 34%, the Popcornmeter of audience reviews contrasts this at 66%, showing that audiences don't always agree with critics, and time may change the nature of victory.

• Cast: Oleg Vidov, Gitte Hænning, Eva Dahlbeck

• Director: Gabriel Axel

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 92 minutes

• Where to watch: Apple TV

Scandinavian folklore heroes Hagbard and Signy inspired the 1967 film "Hagbard and Signe," which is also known as "The Red Mantle." The film's story is taken from the "Gesta Danorum" (Deeds of the Dames), a 12th-century historical account written by Saxo Grammaticus that also inspired William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The film is set in 1100, and it was filmed entirely on location in Iceland, offering beautiful landscapes untouched by any industry.

The central story involves three brothers determined to avenge the death of their father. They fight against the king's three princes to a standoff, so the king declares a truce. While under the king's roof, Hagbard (Oleg Vidov) falls in love with the king's daughter, Signe (Gitte Hænning), and the feeling is mutual. It's a story that's been told a thousand times — two star-crossed lovers who shouldn't fall in love with one another do, and this creates problems.

In many ways, "Hagbard And Signe" is the Danish "Romeo and Juliet," though Shakespeare based that play on a poem from the 16th century. While "Hagbard And Signe" isn't well known in North America, the film has a following. Famed critic Roger Ebert gave it four stars in his 1968 review, praising its battle scenes, setting, and cinematography. He compared the brutality of one battle scene to Orson Welles' "Falstaff," which is high praise indeed.

• Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson, Alexander Morton

• Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

• Rating: NR

• Runtime: 93 minutes

• Where to watch: AMC+, Prime Video, YouTube

"Valhalla Rising" takes place in the 12th century, but unlike most movies in the genre, it's largely set in North America. One-Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) is an enslaved one-eyed mute who must fight to the death in Scotland. After he has a vision and finds an arrowhead, One-Eye slaughters his captors and escapes with a young boy. Soon after, they join an expedition of Christian Norsemen on a journey to the Holy Land. 

Instead, they're lost along the way and arrive in North America. Before long, the party realizes that they're nowhere near their goal as they're set upon by Skrælings, which is the name the Norsemen gave to the indigenous Americans they encountered. Instead of attempting to complete their trip, the men decide to conquer the people they find in the name of God, setting them on a path of death and destruction that leads to "Valhalla Rising's" spectacular ending.

When the film was released, it absolutely bombed at the global box office. "Valhalla Rising" cost around $5.7 million to make, and it only brought in $731,613, which isn't great. Despite its terrible showing in theaters, "Valhalla Rising" was praised by critics. It holds a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is clearly good, but its audience score sits at only 49%, showing that viewers weren't as enthralled with the Viking film as the critics.

• Cast: Ray Winstone, Crispin Glover, Angelina Jolie

• Director: Robert Zemeckis

• Rating: PG-13

• Runtime: 115 minutes

• Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango

"Beowulf" is one of the most famous epic poems ever written, and it has influenced the written and performing arts for centuries. There are several feature film adaptations of "Beowulf," and the best is director Robert Zemeckis' CGI take on the Old English poem. "Beowulf" utilized motion-capture animation to deliver an animated movie that appears close to real-life, though it's a bit uncanny as a result.

Regardless, the film is a brilliant adaptation and follows Beowulf (Ray Winstone) on his journey to slay Grendel (Crispin Glover). After succeeding in his quest, Grendel's mother (Angelina Jolie) takes her vengeance upon Beowulf's men and the people of the slain King Hrothgar's hall. From this, Beowulf seeks out the mother, and they have their epic battle. "Beowulf" differs somewhat from the original poem, but the film is mostly true to the story.

"Beowulf" was a somewhat experimental film, using the same mo-cap technology that created 2004's "The Polar Express," which Zemeckis also directed, but with far more detail and complexity. This elevated the animation to new heights, but it remained mired in the CGI uncanny valley despite the filmmaker's best efforts. Viewers weren't receptive to the film, and it has a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter. Critics found the movie to be an exceptional adaptation of the poem, and it maintains a "fresh" rating of 71%.

• Cast: Dick Kaysø, Preben Kristensen, Laura Bro

• Director: Peter Madsen, Jeffrey J. Varab

• Rating: NR

• Runtime: 89 minutes

• Where to watch: Currently Unavailable

One of the most popular Viking films in Denmark during the 1980s and early '90s was "Valhalla," which was based on Peter Madsen's comic book series of the same name. The source for both includes tales of Norse mythology and Scandinavian folk tales as written in several 12th-century works. The film derives its plot from two stories from the comics: "The Story of Quark" and "The Journey of Utgard-Loki."

The overarching plot of "Valhalla" concerns two children who are taken across the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard, where they're made to work as the gods' servants. Before long, they join forces with a giant's child, and they escape their captivity. They soon find themselves embroiled in a war between the Norse gods and the giants, and what follows will ultimately involve the children. Since its release in 1986, "Valhalla" has been highly regarded as one of the best animated films to come out of Denmark.

Unfortunately, it cost an astounding amount of money, estimated at around DKK 40 million. In 1986, that would have amounted to over $4.4 million, which wasn't a small sum in the Danish film industry at the time. The financial failure of the movie contributed to Swan Film Productions' closure in 1988. While "Valhalla" wasn't a financial success, it landed with fans, and it currently holds a Popcornmeter rating of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.

• Cast: Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine

• Director: Richard Fleischer

• Rating: NR

• Runtime: 114 minutes

• Where to watch: YouTube, Apple TV, MGM+

While it wasn't the first Viking movie, 1958's "The Vikings" is often (and still) regarded as one of the genre's best. The film has a stacked cast that includes Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, and Janet Leigh, with the stentorian Orson Welles narrating. The film is based on Edison Marshall's 1951 novel "The Viking," and was shot in parts of France and along the Norwegian coast to take advantage of beautiful natural scenery for its setting.

"The Vikings" tells the story of Prince Einar (Douglas) and his half-brother, Eric (Curtis), who is his sworn enemy. After Einar kidnaps Morgana (Leigh), things come to a head as both sides prepare for war, and that's precisely what they get. The movie is full of battle scenes and wide shots, showing off the glorious views while placing the film in something close to its real setting.

It's a grandiose movie that was well-received upon release, which isn't typical of Viking movies outside of Scandinavia. "The Vikings" cost $3.5 million to produce, and it made an estimated $15 million at the box office. It remains a film any fan of the Viking genre should see at least once. "The Viking's" Rotten Tomatoes scores sit at 77% from critics and 72% from viewers, making it a movie that both sides agree is excellent.

• Cast: Jakob Oftebro, Kristofer Hivju, Torkel Dommersnes Soldal

• Director: Nils Gaup

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 99 minutes

• Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango

Like many Viking movies, "The Last King" is inspired by true events from the 13th century. The film is set during Norway's nearly century-long civil war period, which was a chaotic time where dozens of would-be kings fought to claim the nation's throne. The movie centers around an infant named Haakon Haakonsson, the heir to the throne following the death of King Haakon Sverresson. Shortly before the King dies from poison, he reveals both the existence of his son and a plot to have him ascend to the throne.

To ensure his safety, Skervald (Jakob Oftebro) and Torstein (Kristofer Hivju) are tasked with finding the child and securing him. The pair are harried throughout their journey, and after rescuing the child and his mother, traitors lead them into dangerous territory. A series of backstabbings and close calls ultimately leads to a final battle, where Torstein and Skervald rally supporters to defend the child and ensure his safety.

"The Last King" is filled with harrowing action scenes, grand spectacles of absolutely stunning vistas, and more backstabbing than is seen in most movies, though it's not entirely historically accurate. When the film premiered in 2016, it received plenty of praise from critics, and it holds a rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Conversely, audiences weren't as impressed, which is clear from its 46% Popcornmeter rating.

• Cast: Jakob Þór Einarsson, Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Helgi Skúlason

• Director: Hrafn Gunnlaugsson

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 110 minutes

• Where to watch: SF Anytime

"When the Raven Flies" is a revenge story set in Iceland, though it begins in Ireland, where Thord (Helgi Skúlason) and his raiding party slaughter everyone, save for a young boy. Thord captures the child's sister, leaving him behind. After 20 years, the boy (Jakob Þór Einarsson) is now a man known only as "Gestur" (guest), and is on the hunt for Thord and his sister. First, Gestur finds two of Thord's men in Norway and pits their gangs against one another through manipulation and subterfuge.

He eventually finds his sister, but she is unwilling to help him slay Thord, as he's the father of her son. Despite this, Gestur's plan for vengeance unfolds, largely through duplicity and manipulation, until he faces off against his nemesis. When it's over, Gestur's sister refuses to follow him home, leaving her son to nurture a deep-seated need for vengeance against the man who killed his father.

Like many Viking movies, "When the Raven Flies" is inspired by real events during the 13th and 14th centuries. The film is the first in a trilogy and was followed by "In the Shadow of the Raven" and "Embla." "When the Raven Flies" is a classic from the 1980s, and it's popular in and outside of Iceland. The film holds a Popcornmeter rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.

• Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang

• Director: Robert Eggers

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 137 minutes

• Where to watch: Netflix, Prime Video

Viking culture is known for its historical brutality, and violence is one of the core themes of "The Northman," a flick that doesn't pull any punches. The film is inspired by a legend from Saxo Grammaticus' "The Life of Amleth," which also inspired "Hamlet." "The Northmen" follows a similar plot, beginning with a young prince, Amleth (Oscar Novak), whose father is slain by his uncle, who then marries the boy's mother. Amleth escapes, vowing revenge against his uncle and his followers.

Eventually, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) matures to become a berserker who ruthlessly pillages and slaughters alongside his Viking brethren. After he's reminded of his oath of vengeance, Amleth returns to his quest, and he finds his uncle, mother, and their son, his half-brother. As time passes, Amleth metes out his own form of justice, one victim at a time, before "The Northman" ends with a final confrontation loaded with Norse mythological motifs — including a lore-accurate Valkyrie.

"The Northman" is more than a mere revenge story, as it's deeply rooted in Norse mythology and iconography. The film is loaded with details, and while there's plenty of supernatural elements spread throughout, much of the culture is historically accurate. While the movie underperformed at the box office, it nonetheless did well with critics and audiences. "The Northman" has a rating of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes with a Popcornmeter rating of 64%.

• Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

• Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

• Rating: PG

• Runtime: 93 minutes

• Where to watch: Fandango, Prime Video, YouTube

Of all the Viking movies, the one that is the most popular and holds the highest ratings is none other than 2010's "How to Train Your Dragon." The Viking-themed animated film is far closer to fantasy than it is history, but that hardly matters when it's easily one of the most entertaining Viking films to date. The movie is about training a dragon, but it's also much more than that, thanks to its diverse characters, unique setting, and built-in mythos.

The film centers on Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a young and scrawny Viking. He wants nothing more than to become a dragon slayer, but things change when he finds a rare Night Fury dragon in the forest. Instead of killing it, he and the dragon become friends, leading Hiccup to name his new pal Toothless. This is taboo, as it's every Viking's duty to kill dragons, but Hiccup finds a new path, instructing the other Vikings in caring for the creatures instead.

"How to Train Your Dragon" was an incredible success, making nearly $500 million off a budget of $165 million. It also received plenty of praise from critics, which is evident given its rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's success launched a franchise, and there are several "How to Train Your Dragon" films, including a 2025 live-action remake.