The Northman, which debuted in theatres in April, is now available to see on Peacock. Fans and critics alike praised the innovative director Robert Eggers‘ Viking retribution story. Vita Amlethi is an Old Norse folktale that inspired the film. The narrative was passed down by word of mouth until it was officially recorded in Saxo Grammaticus’ encyclopaedic history of Danish rulers and their history about the year 1200.
The storyline of the story inspired The Northman as well as countless other great stories throughout history, including Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In the folktale Vita Amlethi, Amleth, a young Viking prince, swears vengeance on his uncle Fengo, who murdered his father King Horwendil and married his mother Gerutha. The principal character of the film Amleth, performed by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alexander Skarsgrd, is clearly inspired by this story.
Amleth is a Viking prince whose father is assassinated by his power-hungry uncle Fjolnir. He departs his house after his father is killed and his mother is kidnapped by his uncle. He grows up to be a berserker Viking warrior who raids Slavic villages two decades later, still running from his past. He meets a seeress in the course of his life who reminds him of his vow to avenge his father, save his mother, and kill Fjolnir. The endeavour, however, appears to be more difficult than he had anticipated.
The Northman is Eggers’ third film, following The Witch and The Light House, both of which received critical praise. The film veers away from his hallmark horror stories and into the realm of dark fantasy. The film is his most ambitious production to date, and it takes his handcrafted, tactile style to the next level.
Sjón and Eggers collaborated on the story. The film stars Skarsgrd as Amleth and Anya Taylor-Joy as Olga of the Birch Forest, who won a Golden Globe for her performance. Queen Gudrun is played by Nicole Kidman, and King Aurvandill War-Raven is played by Ethan Hawke. Heimir the Fool is played by Willem Dafoe, and Björk, an Icelandic singer-songwriter, as the seeress. In addition to Eggers and Skarsgrd, Lars Knudsen, Mark Huffam, and Arnon Milchan are the producers of The Northman. Francesca Cingolani co-produced, with executive producers Yariv Milchan, Michael Schaefer, Sam Hanson, and Thomas Benski.