Ever since the second season of this Vikings spin-off was released on January 12, 2023, it has broken every possible record on the streaming giant by garnering a consistent position in Netflix’s top 10s and harnessing 265,550,000 viewing hours globally. With that said, the fans are increasingly anticipating more battles, betrayals, death, and destruction in the third installment as well.
For those unversed, Vikings: Valhalla is a spin-off of Vikings, created by Michael Hirst and produced by MGM Productions. It recounts the events that take place one hundred years after the Great Viking leaves for England, led by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok.
As per the site’s critical consensus, “Reveling in the glory of straightforward adventure storytelling, Valhalla is a blood-good dramatization of Leif Eriksson’s conquests.” Scoring a 90% critic approval rating with an average rating of 7.0/10 on Rotten Tomatoes, the show has amassed exponential anticipation among viewers for the arrival of its third season. If you’re also wondering, ‘When can I watch Vikings: Valhalla season 3 on Netflix?’ then you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s a full scoop of Vikings: Valhalla season 3.
When was Vikings: Valhalla was officially renewed for a third season?
In March 2022, Vikings: Valhalla was renewed for seasons 2 and 3 together. Initially, in November 2019, the show was ordered to have a 24-episode order, with eight episodes constituted in each season. Be that as it may, we don’t know whether there will be anything beyond season 3. But we have some updates regarding the fate of the future below (continue reading to know more).
Vikings: Valhalla has been renewed for a third season! pic.twitter.com/KMXnadB1Yh
— Netflix (@netflix) February 16, 2023
What is the production status of Vikings: Valhalla season 3?
As per the reports, Vikings: Valhalla season 3 began production in May 2022, and the filming continued throughout the summer. Although Netflix has not provided any concrete or detailed production timeline, it’s possible that filming wrapped before season 2’s release in January 2023. That being said, I think we are in the safe zone of assuming that WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have shut down the production of Stranger Things, Outer Banks, The Sandman, and many more, won’t affect Vikings: Valhalla season 3.
However, this does not look good for the upcoming seasons that Jeb Stuart was planning. At the moment, Netflix has not officially given a green signal to these seasons, but considering the streaming giant’s proclivity to work on the future seasons beforehand, we assume that the strikes might put a pause on the production of the future seasons if they are to be made in the first place.
Considering that season 3 was renewed with season 2, it seems that we won’t have to wait for season 3 as much as we waited for the second season, which brings us to the most obvious question…
When can we expect Vikings: Valhalla season 3 to arrive on Netflix?
Netflix has announced that Vikings: Valhalla season 3 will be released sometime in 2024. If we take into consideration the previous release schedules, we might be able to speculate on the release date of the upcoming season.
Vikings: Valhalla season one arrived on Netflix in February 2022, followed by the second season 11 months later, on January 12, 2023. With season 3 renewed even before season 2 dropped on Netflix and filming wrapped by the cast and crew, we can expect the upcoming season to hit the streaming platform in early 2024.
In an interview with E! Online, Frida Gustavsson, who is reprising the role of Freydis, has confirmed our speculations, saying:
“We’ve already shot [season 3] and it’s incredible,” she said. “It’s so good. And I just can’t wait for the world to see it. But you’re gonna have to wait a little bit longer!”
Will SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes impact the release date of Vikings: Valhalla season 3?
Although the third season is already shot, and there is minimal risk of actors leaving the set, Netflix will presumably delay the release date owing to the SAG strike rules and guidelines.
As Variety explains:
“According to the guidelines, SAG-AFTRA members will not be able to attend premieres, do interviews for completed work, go to awards shows, attend film festivals or even promote projects on social media while the strike is in effect.”
“They are also not allowed to attend conventions such as Comic-Con to promote any past or present work made under a SAG-AFTRA contract.”
What to expect from Vikings: Valhalla season 3?
The upcoming season is expected to pick up the ends that have been let loose in its predecessor, as it chronicles the adventures of some of the bravest Vikings who have ever graced the land of Earth, including Leif Eriksson (Corlett), Freydis Eriksdotter (Gustavsson), Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter) and the Norman King William the Conqueror.
The plot of the third season will primarily provide more insight into the lives of these Vikings from the second season’s final episode, “The Reckoning,” which marked Leif’s heart-wrenching farewell. With the imminent battle coming to its fruition, the conflict to conquer Norway has only begun.
Jeb Stuart, the show’s creator, showrunner, and executive producer, expressed his gratitude to the fans of the show, saying:
“Thank you to the millions of you who have watched (and rewatched!) Season 1. The numbers have been mind-boggling and beyond my wildest expectations. I’m thrilled to be able to confirm that we wrapped and are already editing Season 2, and that production will start soon on Season 3. While the storylines for Leif, Freydís, Harald, Olaf, Canute, and the rest of our amazing cast are secret, I can say without hesitation that their journeys will be even more epic than what you’ve seen so far.”
Who are the cast members of Vikings: Valhalla season 3?
With the previous season comprising innumerable deaths and dismemberment, it wouldn’t be too much of a shocker if a majority of the cast is not returning in season 3. However, according to Netflix Life, Sam Corlett (Leif Eriksson), Frida Gustavsson (Freydis), and Leo Suter (Harald) are all expected to return in season three.” The only director confirmed on season 3 so far is David Frazee.
In June 2022, Netflix announced that ER and Timeless star Goran Visnjic had joined the cast of Vikings: Valhalla season 3, playing the role of Leif Eriksson and Freydís Eiríksdóttir’s father, Erik the Red. According to Deadline, the casting for season 3 seems like a “multi-year arc,” which implicitly points to the possibility that if the show is renewed for future seasons, Visnjic will remain on board. In season 3, Erik the Red is living in exile in Greenland for the sins that he committed in his past in Iceland and Norway.
How many episodes will be there in Vikings: Valhalla season 3?
Just like the previous two seasons, Vikings: Valhalla season 3 is expected to have eight episodes. However, we will know more once Netflix releases an official word regarding this.
Will Vikings: Valhalla season 3 seal the fate of the show?
In a conversation with Collider, the showrunner Jeb Stuart addressed that he intends to release the seasons in blocks. With the first three seasons releasing in 2024, they are thinking of making seasons 4, 5, and 6 of Vikings: Valhalla.
He said, “We really talked about one, two, and three as sort of a block, and then hopefully we could get to a four, five, and six because the story is… I think you’ll see when you see Season 2 and Season 3. It’s almost like a novel. It has these wonderful time-jumps and growth in terms of particular characters. And like a really big, great novel, it’s got several under-stories that are holding things up that you don’t really feel. They’re like leitmotifs that you don’t really see, but you suddenly feel them there.”
For more release date updates on Vikings: Valhalla season 3, stay tuned to Web News Observer!