Netflix's First Look At Vikings: Valhalla Has The Internet Ready To Binge
Fans of History's "Vikings," Netflix's "Ragnarok," and the entirety of Marvel's "Thor" franchise just got their first look at another exciting and epic spin on the Viking era — Jeb Stuart's "Vikings: Valhalla." Netflix shared a trailer for the new series during their Tudum fan event, and from the looks of it, the creators were intent on weaving a lot of actual history into the upcoming Norse narrative. The trailer reveals that the series will occur sometime between the late 10th and early 11th centuries when Viking explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett) made a name for himself. He helped to settle Greenland and accidentally wandered into what would later be known as North America.
But "Vikings: Valhalla" isn't just Eriksson's story. The trailer suggests the narrative will revolve around a core group of Scandinavian explorers trying their best to maintain their way of life as the Viking era reaches its end, with the old gods fading away in favor of Christianity. "Change is coming," a character is heard saying in the teaser while revealing a cross etched into her back. "And we must be ready," she finishes. In addition to giving fans a dizzying array of historical references and allusions in relatively short order, the "Vikings: Valhalla" teaser has given the internet something to discuss.
Viking fans on Twitter have some feelings
Some Netflix fans on Twitter — who've been burned in the past by the streaming service — responded to the teaser with skepticism. "Yet another show for Netflix to abandon after 2 seasons," wrote user @pogan_logan. But most of the chatter surrounding the new series was filled with excitement. "It already has my heart & soul in vice grip," @villainsfangirl tweeted. The feeling was echoed by many, including @vikingswft, who added, "IM SO F****** EXCITED THANK U."
While many fans are simply wondering when the 2022 series will be officially released, some couldn't help but compare the show to its predecessor and other series of its ilk. "It'll be hard to [beat] #TheLastKingdom," wrote user @albnomaam, referring to the beloved, Saxon-centric spin on the era, which is also on Netflix.
It seems unlikely the new project will last quite as long as the original "Vikings," as the concluding years of the era aren't really enough to fill six full seasons (via Hurstwic). Nonetheless, excited fans are still looking forward to seeing what Jeb Stuart does with this fascinating period in history.