Netflix has set the cast for Vikings: Valhalla, a sequel to History’s hit series, from Vikings creator Michael Hirst and studio MGM Television. Sam Corlett (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Frida Gustavsson (Swoon), Leo Suter (The Liberator), Bradley Freegard (Keeping Faith), Jóhannes Jóhannesson (Cursed), Laura Berlin (Immenhof – The Adventure of a Summer), David Oakes (The Pillars of the Earth) and Caroline Henderson (Tuya Siempre) are set as series regulars and Pollyanna McIntosh and Asbjørn Krogh Nissen will recur. A premiere date has not yet been set but it’s expected to debut in late 2021 or 2022.
Vikings: Valhalla begins in the early 11th century and chronicles the legendary adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived – Leif Eriksson, Freydis Eriksdotter, Harald Hardrada and the Norman King William the Conqueror. These men and women will blaze a path as they fight for survival in the ever changing and evolving world.
The mothership series Vikings wrapped its sixth and final season in December.
Corlett will play Leif Eriksson. A Greenlander, raised on the outer fringes of the known world, Leif comes from a tightly-knit family steeped in the old pagan beliefs. An intrepid sailor and physically tough, Leif is our entry into a Viking world in the throes of violent change.
Gustavsson will portray Freydis Eriksdotter. Fiercely pagan, fiery and headstrong, Freydis is a staunch believer in the “old gods.” Like her brother, Leif, she reaches Kattegat as an outsider but becomes an inspiration to those of the old ways.
Suter is Harald Sigurdsson. Born into Viking nobility, Harald is one of the last Viking berserkers. Charismatic, ambitious and handsome, he is able to unite both followers of Odin and Christians.
Freegard plays King Canute. The King of Denmark. A wise, savvy and ruthless Viking leader. Keeps his friends close and enemies closer. His ambitions will mold the course of history in the 11th century and make him a defining figure of the Viking age.
Jóhannesson portrays Olaf Haraldson. Olaf is Harald’s older half-brother. He is physically huge and ambitious; he is a stern and unforgiving Viking. Olaf is an “Old Testament” Christian.
Berlin plays Emma of Normandy. The young, ambitious Emma of Normandy is from the Norman court and of Viking blood. Politically astute, and one of the wealthiest women in Europe.
Oakes is Earl Godwin. The ultimate survivor. Chief counsellor to the King of England. Born on the political fringes, his cunning ways get him far.
Henderson will play Jarl Haakon. A great warrior and tolerant leader, Haakon rules Kattegat with a steady hand. Though Pagan, she has managed to keep Kattegat a city open to all faiths in a challenging time. She will become a powerful mentor to Freydis, who is drawn to her wisdom.
McIntosh recurs as Queen Ælfgifu. Calculating and ambitious, Queen Ælfgifu of Denmark has a hand to play in the political power struggles unfolding in Northern Europe. She uses her charm and guile to great effect as she promotes the interests of her Mercian homeland and tries to assert herself in Canute’s growing power structure.
Krogh Niseen is Jarl Kåre, who presents a threat to the old pagan ways.
Vikings: Valhalla is produced by MGM Television. Jeb Stuart, Hirst, Morgan O’Sullivan, James Flynn, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, Sheila Hockin and John Weber are executive producers. Stuart also serves as showrunner and writer. Award-winning director Niels Arden Oplev will direct and produce the first episode. Other Season One directors are Stephen St. Leger and Hannah Quinn. Joining Stuart as writers are Vanessa Alexander, Declan Croghan and Eoin McNamee.
Corlett portrayed Luke in Robert Connelly’s feature film adaptation of best-selling novel The Dry, produced by Bruna Papandrea and starring Eric Bana and Genevieve O’Reilly. He can currently be seen as Prince Caliban opposite Kiernan Shipka and Miranda Otto in Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He’s repped by Management 360 and United Management in Australia.
Swedish actress Gustavsson landed her breakthrough role in 2018 as the lead in feature film Swoon directed by Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein. She has since appeared in various productions, including Netflix series The Witcher, the feature film Tiger directed by Ronnie Sandal and the Warner Brothers series Partisan directed by Amir Chamdin.
Suter can currently be seen in Netflix’s World War II limited series The Liberator. He also is the co-lead in feature Gateway 6 from director Tanel Toom, opposite Olga Kurylenko. He is best known for his leading role in the second series of Clique broadcast on BBC1, BBC3 and POP and as James Stringer in the Andrew Davies’ series Sanditon for ITV and Masterpiece PBS.
Freegard is best known for playing the leading role of Evan Howells in three seasons of Keeping Faith for BBC One/BBC Wales. Other television credits include Hinterland, Gwaith Cartref, Da Vinci’s Demons, Teulu, Caerdydd, The Bench, Treflan and First Degree.
Jóhannesson just wrapped a lead role in the Paramount Pictures feature film Infinite opposite Mark Wahlberg, directed by Antoine Fuqua. He is currently finishing up on the indie feature Zone 414 opposite Travis Fimmel and Guy Pearce.
Berlin recently was seen as a lead in the coming-of-age drama Immenhof – The Adventure of a Summer, directed by Sharon von Wietersheim. She also plays a leading role in miniseries Breaking Even, which is expected to air this month on ZDFneo in Germany.
Oakes is best known for playing Prince Ernest in ITV’s Victoria; Juan Borgia opposite Jeremy Irons in The Borgias; and George Duke of Clarence in The White Queen. On the film side, Oakes led Xavier Gens’ Cold Skin and the multi-award nominated The Garden of Evening Mists, based on the Man Booker Prize nominated book of the same name.
Swedish/Danish/American actress Henderson has starred in multiple Danish feature films and plays, and has produced 12 studio albums, winning eight Danish Music Awards for her music over the years. Henderson appeared in the Spanish feature film Tuya Siempre, which earned three awards at the Malaga Film Festival. She also starred in the Pulitzer prize winning play Disgraced by Ayad Akhar.