Prime Video's New Viking Series Adds House Of The Dragon Star Amid Major Bloodaxe Production Update

Published Aug 19, 2026, 1:30 PM EDT Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in August 2019 and is now one of the leading contributors of the TV News team. Having written over 4000 news stories in that time , with his work cited in Buzzfeed and TV Insider, he's always bemoaning that there's too many shows and not enough time. You can contact him at: aalghamdi@hey.com. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Prime Video's upcoming Vikings drama, Bloodaxe, has bulked up its cast with a major House of the Dragon star. It was announced in early 2025 that Vikings creator Michael Hirst set out to return to the stories he helped repopularize with Bloodaxe. Despite the shared themes, Bloodaxe is not connected to Netflix's Vikings shows. Instead, it will focus on one particularly noteworthy protagonist. Bloodaxe is poised to be a breakout drama for Prime Video. Perhaps as a display of confidence in its potential, the historical drama is already greenlit for season 2 before the first installment drops early next year. There's already a bit of news about a familiar face boarding the ensemble. Prime Video has confirmed that Bloodaxe has added House of the Dragon actor Kieran Bew to the cast. Bew, who plays Hugh Hammer in House of the Dragon, is one of several additions to the upcoming series. Bew's other recent credits include a stint on Outlander season 8, in the role of Charles Cunningham, as well as being a regular on the acclaimed martial arts drama Warrior​​​​​​. Gard Løkke (Home for Christmas, The Trip to the Northern Lights) joins Bloodaxe season 2 as a main cast member, while Melina Åkerman (Succedera Questa Notte, Granite Harbour), Kieran Bew (House of the Dragon, Beowulf), Sebastian Bull (2 Days, Azrael), and George Burgess (Beast, Spartacus: House of Ashur) will appear in recurring roles. Additionally, the second installment has begun filming in Ireland. Described as an epic in Prime Video's official press release, Bloodaxe is co-created, written, and executive produced by the father-son duo of Michael and Horatio Hirst. It focuses on a famous Norse raider and Viking figure, Erik Bloodaxe (Xavier Molyneux), and his formidable wife Gunnhild, Mother of Kings (Jessica Madsen). Bloodaxe season 1 will tell the story of the pair's fight for the throne of Norway. This happens “as the land is torn apart by fierce rivals.” They'll also have to deal with betrayals and unclear loyalties, not to mention the looming war and chaos that seem to invite the Kings of other Scandinavian countries, as well as a powerful English ruler. Hailing from MGM Television, Bloodaxe promises to deliver a “thundering” and “magical” addition to the Norse saga. Considering the talent involved and the fact that there's already work being done on the second chapter, early signs are good that this streaming original will have no problem finding an audience. Creator(s) Horatio Hirst, Michael Hirst