Wow wow wow, I can’t believe it’s already time for the movie. I’m a little disappointed that the film will only be an hour and fifty one minutes to conclude this epic story by Bernard Cornwell, but I suppose any extra bit of film in this genre is always welcome. Maybe it will inspire others to adapt more historical fiction authors work to the big screen. Because I don’t know about you but I’m always ready to see the imagined styles and confrontations of the past. To see heroes and heroins traverse landscapes so foreign to our understandings of the world around us now. To see them face challenges in the shield wall that make us shake our heads in total bewilderment of their brutality from the comfort of our beds. To rage when characters fall to the fates as they quest for glory and hope. The endings are always bitter sweet but I’m ready for this final chapter to begin.
Warrior Films
Vikings: Valhalla Season 2
It’s exciting that we will possibly be seeing the second season of this show as early as the beginning of 2023. Like with the second season of Barbarian, there are a bunch of expectations on how this new variation on Vikings will fulfill all our hopes and dreams, but I’m hopeful by this teaser that we will have some good action and plot twists within the complex narrative of Scandinavian history. I will put follow up videos on this post as they come out. To the shield wall!
Barbarians: Season 2
I am rather late in posting this new addition to the Barbarian series, but I want to make a notation that I watched it here. It wasn’t as captivating as the first season, which isn’t surprising since I had more expectations connected to what they might do next in the show. And I definitely picked out the German nationalism they blatantly forced into the dialog that seemed rather out of place in this ancient tribal Germanic landscape. Also with only six episodes I was a little bummed that after all this time the show was done so quickly. Yet with all those critiques I’m still glad there is more historical warrior content to nerd out on, and I hope they get funding for a third season.
Medieval
I have a feeling this will be a b rated film by the trailers quality. That hasn’t stopped me before mentioning an upcoming historical warrior film, so I’m not going to let that stop me now. I’m intrigued that they are telling a story of the historical figure Jan Zizka that I know so little about, even though he’s a Czech national hero. So if anything this film will at least peak my interest to look into this historical figure and the time period he lived. And isn’t that a central point of these exaggerations of history, to get us excited to find out what “really” happened.
The Last Kingdom Season 5
All good things must come to an end but it has been a great run watching this adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories. I hope that this show garnished enough good ratings to encourage fellow production houses that making this kind of period piece is worth it. That there are enough historical fiction nerds out there that will be dedicated fans even when the show dances along the edge of cheesiness. Because there are plenty of other book series out there waiting to be adapted to the screen like Conn Iggulden’s Genghis Series and Harry Sidebottom’s Warrior of Rome as just a few examples. Fingers crossed that this last season is epic and that there are more shows like this being produced.
Britannia Season 3
While this show boarders on the cheesy remakes of King Arthur films, and strays from my desired dark gritty realism when capturing historical periods, I can’t help but enjoy the time period it portrays and the comical fantasy in which it portrays it. Definitely doesn’t fall into the Vikings category of quality, but I still enjoy the little twists and turns this story has presented. Look forward to seeing where it takes us.
The Northman
I just stumbled upon this trailer and got really excited. This film looks packed with amazing cinematography and actors that flesh out this historical warriors drama. While the story seems simple, many of the best hero journeys are. I’m interested to see what Robert Eggers has in store for us this spring in the lands of Iceland.
Update: Unfortunately this film didn’t live up to its potential. It took a very Shakespearean approach in my opinion to a genre that most expected to follow in more of the The Vikings series style. The first forty five minutes of the film had potential, even though it was mostly extreme violence, but then the story got lost in mythological prose. I always find it strange when the people who construct the trailer understand what the viewers want to see, and thus highlighted the assaulting of the Rus town, but the film makers seem to ignore such understanding when developing the entire plot. With this genre all the acts of the film should center around major conflicts of arms and wit, concluding with heart wrenching victory or loss, if it’s going to truly captivate the historical warrior nerds.
Vikings: Valhalla
I am so happy that they have decided to continue this legendary series with a whole new time period and a different cast of characters. Since they had a good thing going I’m interested to see where and what stories they choose to cover this time. There are so many historical branches of the Scandinavian migration, exploration, settlement, and conquerings that they should have plenty of content to fill our medieval minds with visual wonder. As they say in the industry “Bring it on!”
The Last Duel
The premise of this film seems simple, trial by combat, so I’m intrigued to know how they will flesh out the story and if there will be any other historical battle events. By the trailer it looks like we will get at least one engagement, but of course I hope they really draw us into the tumultuous environment of 14th century France. Taking place during the reign of Charles VI, the Hundred Years’ War, and thirty five years after the Bubonic plague this time period is filled with massive dramas of the human experience. Bring on the historical fiction Ripley Scott!!!
Kingdom: Ashin of the North
So if you haven’t already watched the first two seasons of this mix genre Korean show I highly recommend you dive in before watching this special edition prequel. I’m really hoping this means they are planning on producing the third season of this show soon. I’m not going to provide any spoilers, but I really enjoy when a historical fiction makes me pause so that I can look up certain historical references. In this film it had me ponder the ethnic groups and medieval relationship between people in north Korea and the old Manchuria region of China. Definitely an important crossroads that have implications to current geopolitics.
The Lost Treasure Chest 