Jessica Madsen to Lead Prime Video Viking Drama 'Bloodaxe'

Prime Video has found the leads for its latest historical drama, Bloodaxe. The series aims to chronicle the story of the famous Viking warrior Erik Haraldsson, who was also known as Bloodaxe among several other colorful nicknames. ("Brother-Slayer" was one of them, if you're curious about where this story is going.) 

Newcomer Xavier Molyneux is set to play Bloodaxe. Best known for his role on the Australian soap opera Neighbors, he'll take on the role of a figure about whom scant historical details are known. His rule was short-lived, and he and his wife were supposedly overthrown and exiled. But Erik Haraldsson is a prominent figure in various Norse Sagas from the period, thanks to the legend that he killed several of his brothers in his quest to claim the throne of Norway. Bridgerton alum Jessica Madsen will take on the role of Gunnhild, his wife and queen, a woman who is more commonly known as the Mother of Kings because several of her sons ruled or co-ruled the kingdom after she and Erik were deposed. 

In many ways, Gunnhild is a more fascinating figure than her husband. It's not 100% clear that she even technically existed, and the various sagas that mention her paint her as everything from a murderess to a powerful witch. Depending on who you read, she's uncommonly cunning, viciously cruel, and endlessly power-hungry, not to mention sexually insatiable, and/or supposedly tutored in the magical arts by a pair of Finnish wizards. In short, she's a great choice to lead a television drama, simply because everything about her story is so darn dramatic, no matter which version of the legend you choose to believe.

Here's the series' description.

Bloodaxe is an epic historical drama that chronicles the rise of one of history’s most famous Viking warriors, Erik Bloodaxe, and his formidable wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings. As they fight for the throne of Norway, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals. With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom, drawing in the ruthless Kings of other Scandinavian countries, and even a powerful English ruler, the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling and utterly magical new Viking Saga.

Molyneux and Madsen are the only cast members confirmed for the series so far. More are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as filming for the series gets underway.

The series was created by Michael Hirst and his son, Horatio Hirst, who also serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. (Michael Hirst is also the creator of History Channel's Vikings and its Netflix follow-up, Vikings: Valhalla.) Additional executive producers include Steve Stark under his Toluca Pictures label, Arturo Interian, Morgan O’Sullivan, John Weber, and Sheila Hockin. The series is produced by MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios.

Bloodaxe is set to start filming in Ireland and Iceland this summer. No release date has been announced yet. All six seasons of Hirst's original series, Vikings, and the three-season follow-up, Vikings: Valhalla, are available to stream on Netflix.