Michael Hirst, the creative force behind the global phenomenon Vikings, is pivoting from the Norse expansion to the fractured political landscape of the 10th century with his new historical drama, Bloodaxe. Speaking at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival on June 14, 2026, Hirst confirmed that the first season of the series has already been filmed and described the production as “spectacular.” The show, which centers on the life of Eric Bloodaxe, is already moving into its second season, signaling a long-term commitment from producers to map out the tumultuous era of the Viking Age’s twilight.
The Historical Reality Behind the Bloodaxe Legend
While Hirst’s previous work leaned heavily into the mythological and expansionist spirit of the early Viking age, Bloodaxe operates in a more claustrophobic, politically volatile environment. Eric Bloodaxe, a 10th-century Norwegian king and later ruler of Northumbria, serves as the perfect vehicle for this shift. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eric I of Norway earned his moniker through the ruthless elimination of his brothers to secure the throne, a narrative arc that offers the high-stakes familial conflict Hirst is known for.
“The historical record of the 10th century is not just about swords and longships; it is about the birth of national identities through brutal, messy, and often incoherent power struggles,” says Dr. Elena Rossi, a historian specializing in medieval Scandinavian governance. “Hirst has a knack for finding the human pulse in these ancient, fractured chronicles, which is where the real drama lies.”
This shift from the exploratory phase of the 8th and 9th centuries to the consolidated, often paranoid, politics of the 10th century represents a fundamental change for the genre. The era was defined by the transition from pagan tribalism to the heavy influence of Christianity, a transformation that creates natural narrative friction for a screenwriter.
Navigating the Shift to Medieval Heresy
Beyond the immediate production of Bloodaxe, Hirst has signaled a desire to explore the darker, more intellectual fringes of medieval history. He has expressed interest in developing projects centered on medieval heretics—a departure from the battlefield-heavy tropes of his previous hits. This interest in the “other” within medieval society suggests a desire to examine how rigid religious structures attempted to quell dissenters.
The academic consensus on medieval heretical movements highlights a period of intense social anxiety. According to research published by the Medievalists.net network, the rise of heretical sects was often a direct response to the perceived corruption of ecclesiastical authorities. By choosing to focus on these groups, Hirst is moving away from the “great man” theory of history and toward a more nuanced, bottom-up perspective of how belief systems shaped—and were shaped by—political power.
Production Scalability and the Streaming Era
The rapid renewal of Bloodaxe for a second season before the first has even aired is a testament to the shifting economics of historical television. In the current landscape, studios are prioritizing “pre-sold” intellectual property from proven showrunners. This model allows for the construction of massive sets and complex, multi-year story arcs that would have been financially untenable a decade ago.
Industry analysts point to this as a shift in how streamers approach long-form storytelling. Instead of the traditional “wait and see” model of network television, platforms are investing in the infrastructure of a production from day one.
| Project Element | Vikings (2013) | Bloodaxe (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Development Cycle | Episodic/Incremental | Multi-Season Block Order |
| Focus | Expansion/Mythology | Political Consolidation/Heretical Dissent |
| Production Scale | Moderate/On-Location | High/Studio-Integrated |
The Hollywood Reporter notes that this strategy reduces the risk of long-term production gaps, ensuring that the visual language and cast continuity remain stable across years. For a creator like Hirst, this provides the creative stability needed to build the kind of immersive, detailed worlds that defined the success of his previous work.
What Lies Ahead for the Genre
As Bloodaxe gears up for its premiere, the broader historical drama genre faces a crossroads. Audiences are increasingly sophisticated, demanding more than just period-accurate costumes and battle choreography. They are looking for the specific, gritty, and often uncomfortable truths that define the human condition under pressure.
Hirst’s interest in heresy and the internal politics of the 10th century suggests that the next wave of historical content will be more philosophical than the last. The challenge will be balancing these complex themes with the visceral, high-octane action that brought viewers to the genre in the first place.
Ultimately, the success of this project will rest on whether Hirst can translate the abstract, often dry historical debates of the 10th century into the same addictive, character-driven television that made Ragnar Lothbrok a household name. With production for the second season already in motion, the audience will not have to wait long to see if this new world holds the same power to captivate.
How do you think the shift from Viking-era expansionism to the more insular, political conflicts of the 10th century will affect the pacing of Hirst’s storytelling? Share your thoughts on whether you prefer the grand scale of exploration or the gritty, internal power struggles of established kingdoms.
