Prime Video's Upcoming Action Show Is Bonnie & Clyde Meets Vikings

Published Oct 25, 2026, 9:15 AM EDT

Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.

Among Prime Video’s upcoming TV shows is an action one that is like Bonnie & Clyde meets Vikings, and it has a bright future ahead. Prime Video has become one of the biggest and most popular streaming platforms, mostly standing out for its original TV shows. Some of them now rank among the best TV shows of all time, as is the case for Fleabag, The Boys, The Expanse, and Reacher, covering a variety of genres.

A genre in which Prime Video has excelled is action, with a variety of shows to choose from – from superhero shows like Invincible to video game adaptations like Fallout and thrillers like Jack Ryan –, and it has more lined up for the near future. One of them is Bloodaxe, a historical drama created by Michael and Horatio Hirst, the former also being the creator of The Tudors and Vikings. Bloodaxe is set for a January 20, 2027, release, and its first trailer promises lots of action, drama, and a couple of twists.

Bloodaxe has already been compared to Bonnie and Clyde by co-creator Horatio Hirst, who told Entertainment Weekly that that’s how he and his father have called the main characters of the series, Erik Bloodaxe (Xavier Molyneux) and Gunnhild (Jessica Madsen), as they were charismatic, attractive, and always on the move. However, Bloodaxe is more like their Viking version, as it explores other stories from the Viking Age that Michael Hirst’s previous show didn’t cover.

Bloodaxe Explores A Different Chapter Of The Viking Age

Bloodaxe is not just an action drama show but also a Viking one, serving as a successor (but not a sequel) to Hirst’s Vikings. Bloodaxe is set in the 10th century, and it will introduce viewers to Viking warrior Eric Bloodaxe and his wife Gunnhild, also known as the “Mother of Kings.” Bloodaxe follows their fight for the throne of Norway, which begins when the health of King Harald Fairhair (Jesper Christensen) starts to decline, and so he must find his successor as soon as possible.

Harald Fairhair appeared in Vikings, played by Peter Franzén.

The King’s first choice is his son Haakon (Levi Miller), Erik’s half-brother, who was sent to England to learn from King Athelstan (Rod Hallett), but Erik is also interested in the throne. The chaos that spreads through the kingdom attracts the attention of other rulers as well as of King Athelstan, making way for battles, alliances, and betrayals. Despite its connections to Vikings, Bloodaxe isn’t a part of its universe and timeline, even though it's set many years after the events of season 6.

This means that Bloodaxe isn’t connected to Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla, either, although it serves as a perfect preparation for it and fills in the gaps between both Vikings shows. Bloodaxe explores the stories of other Viking legends and figures that were key to the events of Vikings: Valhalla, despite the big time gap between them, and whose stories are the result of the events of Vikings.

Bloodaxe Already Has A Bright Future Ahead

Bloodaxe is part of Prime Video’s 2027 lineup, with a confirmed release date of January 20, 2027, with all eight episodes released that day. Months before its release, Bloodaxe joined a very special group as it was renewed for a second season, which speaks volumes about its quality and Prime Video’s confidence in it, while also increasing anticipation around it.

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Bloodaxe’s season 2 being already confirmed paints a bright future for the show, giving it the potential to continue for many more seasons, especially as there’s plenty of material to keep it going. The real Eric Haraldsson, known as Bloodaxe and Brother-Slayer, was king of Norway and later King of Northumbria, twice. Bloodaxe was succeeded by Haakon as King of Norway, with his reign being notable for his attempts to introduce Christianity.

Gunnhild’s historicity has been disputed, so she’s considered a quasi-historical figure who earned the nickname of “Mother of Kings” as many of her and Erik’s children went on to become co-rulers of Norway. Of course, as happens with historical dramas, Bloodaxe will surely take some creative liberties, so it’s to be seen how accurate it is, what it adds, and how long the show can run. Bloodaxe has great potential, and it can officially take Vikings’ place.

Source: Entertainment Weekly.

Cast

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  Xavier Molyneux

  Erik Bloodaxe

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  Jessica Madsen

  Gunnhild

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  Levi Miller

  Haakon

• Kārlis Arnolds Avots

  Egil