Vikings: Valhalla season 2 – release date, cast and latest news
The smash-hit historical drama returns.
Get ready for another action-packed journey to the distant past as Vikings: Valhalla is returning for season 2, which look set to feature more epic battles and personal vendettas than ever before.
The series carries on the legacy of the original Vikings, which had a hugely popular six-season run on the History Channel, but takes place more than a century after that preceding entry – when the Danish warriors face even greater instability.
The action unfolds primarily from the perspective of legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), his headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and the Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter).
However, there are a number of other fascinating characters packing out this large ensemble, with Merlin star Bradley James among several newcomers joining for the second outing.
Here's everything you need to know about Vikings: Valhalla season 2, ahead of the show's return on Netflix.
Vikings: Valhalla season 2 release date
Vikings: Valhalla season 2 is available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 12th January 2023.
The first two seasons were shot back-to-back, with production wrapping on the second entry in November 2021, while work on the the third is already storming forward – as showrunner Jeb Stuart told EW.
"We're already in prep on season 3," he said. "There's a lot under the dam already that is exciting and big. We've got several great characters and we've got stories in different countries and things like that.
"I think that you almost need to be able look over the horizon. When I was out pitching it, I was trying to pitch it as a multi-season thing, because that way I can develop those characters in the storylines over a longer, longer throw."
He added: "It wasn't like, 'What can we do with the Vikings this year?' Because those characters really do have not just emotional arcs, they have literally historical arcs. You can't just get to them tomorrow or next year."
By the end of season 3, Netflix will have fulfilled its original order for 24 episodes of Vikings: Valhalla, although there is potential for the show to be extended further.
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Vikings: Valhalla season 2 cast
A number of key players are returning to the Vikings: Valhalla cast for season 2, with Sam Corlett (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) leading the charge as Leif Eriksson, while Leo Suter (Sanditon) plays his trusted ally Harald Sigurdsson.
Frida Gustavsson also stars as Freydís Eiríksdóttir, while Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson portrays Jarl Olaf Haraldsson, who was responsible for a devastating death in the season 1 finale – sure to reverberate through the new episodes.
The returning cast also includes Bradley Freegard (King Canute), Laura Berlin (Queen Emma of Normandy), Soren Pilmark (King Forkbeard) and David Oakes (Earl Godwin), while there are plenty of new faces joining the battle too.
Perhaps most notable is Merlin alum Bradley James, who was prominently featured in the Vikings: Valhalla season 2 trailer as his new character, Lord Harekr.
Of course, not every character made it out alive and for that reason we don't expect to see any more from Lujza Richter's Liv or Caroline Henderson's Jarl Estrid Haakon, despite the latter earlier hinting she could return as a "ghost or something".
Meanwhile, writer Jeb Stuart has teased that descendants of characters from the original Vikings series could appear in later seasons of Valhalla, which would provide some fan-pleasing connecting tissue between the two shows.
He wrote in a Reddit AMA: "As I was plotting out season 2 I did a lot of math trying to track down where we'd be with Ivar's descendants. Since future seasons will see our Vikings out in the greater world... anything is possible.”
Vikings: Valhalla season 2 trailer
Netflix dropped the trailer for Vikings: Valhalla season 2 last month, which offers a glimpse at the action and drama in store – including one jaw-dropping waterfall scene that could spell doom for some unlucky characters. Watch below:
Fans might also be interested in this behind-the-scenes video chronicling the making of Vikings: Valhalla season 2, including stunt training, location scouting and more. Watch below:
Vikings: Valhalla is available to stream on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide to find out what's on.
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