Michael Hirst is returning to the world of Norse legends with Bloodaxe, a new historical drama starring Xavier Molyneux and Bridgerton’s Jessica Madsen. Prime Video has also renewed the series for Season 2 ahead of its debut.

Fans of Vikings have a new historical drama to look forward to. Michael Hirst, the creator behind the hit series, is returning with Bloodaxe, a Norse saga centered on power struggles, royal rivalries and the brutal fight for Norway’s throne.

Prime Video unveiled the first teaser trailer at New York Comic Con on October 9, 2026, giving audiences an early look at the upcoming series. The streaming platform also confirmed that all eight episodes of Season 1 will premiere on January 20, 2027.

The announcement came during a panel moderated by Nerdist’s Rotem Rusak, featuring Hirst, his son and co-showrunner Horatio Hirst, and cast members Xavier Molyneux, Jessica Madsen and Levi Miller. The event marked the first public discussion of the series by its creative team and cast.

The teaser embraces many of the elements that made Vikings distinctive, including muddy battlefields, steel weapons and torchlit halls. However, the footage and promotional images suggest that Bloodaxe could have a more expansive visual scope than its predecessor, reflecting its backing from Amazon MGM Studios.

For viewers who have missed sprawling historical dramas filled with dynastic ambition and bloody conflict, the series could offer a compelling new addition to the genre.

A New Chapter in the World of Norse Legends

Although Bloodaxe is not formally connected to Vikings, the two series share a historical thread. Erik Bloodaxe, the central character played by Xavier Molyneux, was a son of Harald Fairhair, the Norwegian ruler who appeared in Hirst’s earlier series.

Harald Fairhair is traditionally associated with the unification of Norway, and Bloodaxe shifts the focus to the next generation of royal conflict. Rather than revisiting the same characters and events, the new drama explores another turbulent chapter in the history and legends of the Norse world.

Molyneux, known for his work on Neighbours, plays Erik, whose ambitions place him at the center of a dangerous struggle for power. His wife, Gunnhild, is portrayed by Jessica Madsen, best known to audiences for her role in Bridgerton.

In Norse sagas, Gunnhild is remembered as the Mother of Kings, a formidable figure associated with political maneuvering and influence over the royal family. Her reputation makes her an especially intriguing character for a series built around competing claims to power.

The combination of Erik’s royal ambitions and Gunnhild’s political influence could give the drama a dynamic at the heart of its story. As rival claimants and foreign rulers become involved, the couple’s fight for the Norwegian throne threatens to grow into a much larger conflict.

Who Stars in ‘Bloodaxe’?

Alongside Molyneux and Madsen, the series features Levi Miller as Haakon the Good, Erik’s half-brother and a major rival in the historical tradition surrounding Norway’s royal succession.

The supporting cast includes several other figures drawn from Norse and European history.

Kārlis Arnolds Avots plays Egil Skallagrimsson, the saga poet and warrior whose reputation has endured in medieval Icelandic literature. Rod Hallett portrays King Athelstan of Wessex, while Jesper Christensen appears as an aging Harald Fairhair.

Alina Tomnikov also takes on a dual role, playing both a shield-maiden and a mystical Seer. The character setup hints that the series will incorporate elements of prophecy and the supernatural alongside its political and military storylines.

That blend of historical figures, legendary personalities and mystical elements was an important part of Vikings’ identity. Bloodaxe appears poised to revisit a similar approach while developing its own cast of characters and conflicts.

Michael Hirst Returns to the Historical Drama Genre

Hirst helped establish Vikings as a major historical television franchise when the series premiered in 2013. Its six-season run explored the ambitions, family rivalries and conquests of Norse warriors, eventually leading to the Netflix sequel Vikings: Valhalla, which concluded in 2024.

Since then, the historical drama landscape has lacked a new series on quite the same scale that combines royal politics, battlefield violence and larger-than-life historical figures.

While fantasy franchises such as Game of Thrones have continued to explore similar themes through fictional kingdoms, Norse dramas offer their own appeal by drawing on the legends and historical traditions of medieval Scandinavia.

With Bloodaxe, Hirst appears ready to revisit the storytelling approach that made Vikings successful. The new series promises competing dynasties, shifting loyalties and characters whose personal ambitions could reshape entire kingdoms.

Gunnhild may be particularly important in that respect. Her legendary reputation for political cunning gives the series an opportunity to place a formidable woman at the center of the struggle for royal power, rather than treating her simply as a supporting figure in Erik’s story.

Season 2 Is Already in Production

Perhaps the clearest indication of Prime Video’s confidence in Bloodaxe is that the series has already been renewed for a second season.

The streamer announced the renewal in June 2026, months before the first teaser was publicly unveiled. Production on Season 2 is already underway in Ireland, giving the project a significant head start ahead of its first-season premiere.

At the time of the renewal, Michael Hirst confirmed the news in a statement, saying:

“As the writers and showrunners of Bloodaxe, Horatio and I are very excited to announce that Amazon have also already commissioned a second season of our new Norse saga for Prime Video, which begins shooting in Ireland within a few weeks.”

The early renewal signals that Amazon is treating the series as a substantial investment rather than waiting to assess its audience response after launch. While a second season is no guarantee of critical or commercial success, the decision suggests that the streamer sees long-term potential in Hirst’s new Norse world.

The first season will be released in more than 240 countries and territories, with all eight episodes arriving on the same day. That release strategy will allow viewers to follow the entire opening chapter at their own pace.

Can ‘Bloodaxe’ Become the Next Big Historical Drama?

The first teaser establishes the series’ visual identity, but the larger test will be whether its characters and political conflicts can capture the same audience investment that made Vikings endure.

The story has several promising ingredients: a contested throne, a royal couple with competing ambitions, a rivalry between half-brothers and the involvement of powerful rulers beyond Norway. The inclusion of saga figures such as Egil Skallagrimsson and the mystical Seer also suggests that the drama will extend beyond straightforward historical warfare.

Madsen’s casting as Gunnhild could be another major draw, particularly for viewers familiar with her work in Bridgerton. Meanwhile, Molyneux and Miller will lead a conflict that places family loyalty and political ambition on opposite sides.

With Season 2 already filming, Prime Video appears committed to giving the story room to develop beyond its opening installment.

Bloodaxe premieres on Prime Video on January 20, 2027, with all eight episodes of Season 1 available at launch.

Source: Compiled from various sources