It might not quite have the cultural cut-through of House of the Dragon, but in Vikings, Netflix nonetheless has something of a swords-and-sandals juggernaut on its hands. Which is why it's so many seasons in already.
The franchise has gone from strength to strength over the years and consistently does huge numbers when new seasons drop, which means that the upcoming arrival of Vikings: Valhalla is a big moment for the streamer. A new trailer confirms that we can expect more bloody action and twists when it comes out on 11 July.
We already know that this will be the final chapter in the Valhalla arc, a spin-off from the main Vikings show, which has also finished – but don't bet against Netflix having something else in mind for more stories in the same world down the line.
This time around, our main characters Harald Sigurdsson (played by Leo Suter), Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), and Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson) are all going to be in peril of different sorts. No surprises really, right?
The story continues across a range of locations, including Constantinople in its pomp and the old home of Greenland, and promises to see at least some of our characters breaking ground in search of a new home.
The threat of Christianity looks like it'll be quite a big theme, though, with papal blessings sought or bartered for and at least one potential burning at the stake threatening Freydís – whether she'll get out of that one is anyone's guess given the show's willingness to kill people off bloodily.
While Vikings might have started off as a show that people watched if they were bored of Game of Thrones, by the time it hit its stride it was being reviewed terrifically, and that's applied to Valhalla, too. Its second season, after all, has cleared the high bar of a '100% Fresh score' on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, underlining its quality.
In a world where a new season of House of the Dragon is in full swing, it's a useful reminder that Netflix has something to say for itself in the fight to be the best streaming service for fans of fantasy and historical dramas. When 11 July rolls around, Vikings: Valhalla will play its part in that battle.
