The Northman

## Release Chronology

*"Hear me, Ódinn, all-father of the gods. Summon the shadows of ages past, when the thread-spinning Norns ruled the fates of men. Hear of a prince's vengeance quenched at the fiery gates of Hel, a prince destined for Valhöll. Hear me!"*
―The He-Witch**[src]**
***The Northman*** is a 2022 epic historical action thriller film directed by Robert Eggers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón. It is based on the legend of Prince Amleth by Saxo Grammaticus, which inspired William Shakespeare's *Hamlet*.

## Synopsis

A young Viking prince is on a quest to avenge his father's murder.

## Plot

### The North Atlantic

In AD 895 on the island of Hrafnsey, young Prince Amleth sees the ships of his father, King Aurvandil, returning from a conquest. Amleth runs to inform his mother, Queen Gudrún, who is being dressed by servants and chastizes him for entering her chambers without invitation. Another servant alerts her to the king's return and they leave to greet him.

Aurvandil rides into the keep at the head of his army, which brings back treasure and slaves from the conquest. Aurvandil commands his bastard brother Fjölnir to deliver the slaves before he enters the great hall. Aurvandill greets his wife and son, gifting Amleth with a necklace he took from a prince.

Fjölnir arrives and hails his brother, with Aurvandill and Gudrún saluting him in kind. The court jester, Heimir, makes a crude remark about the queen's cup growing wet for more men than her king. Fjölnir angrily orders him to be silent, but Aurvandil calms him, declaring it a jest. Fjölnir holds up his infant son Thórir and salutes his brother, with Amleth saluting the kingdom.

Later that night, Aurvandil is treated by his servants and reveals to Gudrún that he suffered a near-fatal wound during the conquest. He decides that Amleth must be prepared to succeed him should he die. Gudrún is against the idea, stating that Amleth is still a puppy. Aurvandil replies that Amleth is the same age that his grandfather was when he took the throne and Gudrún points out that he had to kill his uncle first. She attempts to seduce him, but he refuses and declares that he must die in battle, not from illness or old age. She reassures him that the gates of Valhöll await him.

Aurvandil and Amleth enter a temple, where upon entry the kind drips a trinket in blood. They pass a slab featuring an incription of Óðinn before discarding of their garments nd climbing down a ladder. Aurvandil urges Amleth not to be afraid and to do as her does. They enter a chamber on all fours, barking and growling like dogs. Heimir places bowls of the vision mead of knowledge before them, so they may know what it means to live and die in honor. He tells them that they will learn to be slain in battle and be rewarded by the Valkyrja's embrace and be carried to the shimmer gates of Valhöll. Once he drinks the mead, Heimir tells Aurvandil to prove he is not a dog and Aurvandil responds by belching loudly in his face. He then urges Amleth to do them same, to which Amleth farts.

Aurvandil and Heimir tell Amleth to be wise in measure yet wise enough to be the fool, never seek the secrets of women but heed them always, live in honor, safeguard his familial blood and avenge his father should he fall by an enemy's sword. Amleth sweats to do these things and Aurvandil exposes his wounded ribcage. Heimir wipes a tear from Amleth's face and declares it the last tear he will shed in weakness, to be given back when most he needs it. Aurvandil then presses Amleth's hand to his wound, exposing him to the Tree of Kings.

The next morning, Aurvandil and Amleth leave the temple, where they are ambushed. Aurvandil is shot with several arrows and tells Amleth to run. Amleth hides nearby as his father is overpowered and brought to his knees. The leader steps forward and removes his helmet, revealing himself to be Fjölnir. He chides Aurvandil for never paying a bastard's eyes heed before.

He draws his sword and Aurvandil urges him to strike, affirming that wearing a stolen ring will not make him a king and that his kingdom will not last. He wishes torment upon Fjölnir until vengeance wreaks death upon him. Fjölnir decapitates his brother as Amleth watches in horror. Fjölnir's followers declare him the king and he orders them to bring him Amleth's head. Amleth attempts to flee and is caught by Finnr, but escapes by cutting off his nose.

Amleth returns to the keep as it is raided, disguising himself with a red cloak. He witnesses Fjölnir carrying the screaming Gudrún over his shoulder, to the laughter of his men. Finnr arrives and tells Fjölnir that he has killed Amleth and thrown his body onto the sea. Amleth escapes in a boat, repeatedly declaring that he will avenge Aurvandil, save Gudrún and kill Fjölnir.

### The Land of the Rus

Years later, Amleth has joined the Berserkers and become a battle-hardened warrior. One day as they float upriver, Grímr Skull-Hammer shoots a fisherman and his son with a bow and arrow, to the amusement of the others. That night, they gather around a bonfire and chant as the Berserker Priest urges them to shed their human skins and unleash the beasts within. The next morning, they attack a village in Garðaríki, killings its soldiers, taking some surviving civilians as slaves and trapping the rest in a barn, which they then burn. The Berserker Priest commends Amleth, commenting that when they found him as a cub he knew he had a heart of cold iron. A young woman named Olga is among the villagers taken as a slave.

That night as the vikings celebrate their plunder, Amleth is drawn to a temple of Svetovit, where he meets a blind Seeress. She reveals that she knows his identity and gives him the last teardrop that Heimir took from him. She reminds him of his oath and tells him to cross the salty ocean to the edge of the world, where he will find an island in the north with a burning lake bursting from a black mountains peak. Once there, he must follow the vixen's tail to the dwelling of the ancient one, where he will find the fated sword that matches his brutal rage. She concludes by telling him that where his ashes end, the journey of a Maiden King shall begin, before vanishing.

The next morning as slaves are being branded, Amleth hears the Hird Officer ordering some slaves sent to Fjölnir's post in Iceland. Amleth asks Eiríkr Blaze-Eye about Fjölnir, who tells him that he is called "the Brotherless" due to his murder of Aurvandil. He elaborates that Fjölnir's is now a sheep farmer, having fled Hrafnsey with his wife and son after it was taken being overthrown by King Haraldr of Norway. Amleth sees a raven staring at him and believes it to be a vessel of Aurvandil's soul urging him to fulfil his vow. Amleth cuts his hair short, burns a slave brand into his skin and sneaks aboard a ship bound for Iceland. He sees Olga comforting another woman and that night she reveals that she knows him to be a Northman. He later saves her from falling overboard as a storm strikes the ship.

### Iceland

Once they reach Iceland, Amleth once again crosses paths with Finnr. The slaves are shackled together and as they are brought to Fjölnir's forest, Olga asks Amleth why he would come to such a hellish place and he tells her that fate has brought him there to reclaim what was stolen from him.

At the farm, Fjölnir teaches his young son Gunnar to chop wood, but the boy complains that it is slave work. Fjölnir tells him that no man knows if he will make it through the next winter as a king or a slave and had best be prepared for both. Thórir, now a young man, trains with the household's soldiers and is easily overpowered by them, which causes him to throw a temper tantrum. The shipment of slaves arrives and when Fjölnir predicts that they will not last the winter and orders them to be sold, Amleth displays his aggression. Impressed, Fjölnir decides to keep him, but Thórir mocks Amleth's odor and chides him for looking him in the eye. Fjölnir asks Amleth his name and he replies that it is Björnulfr. Fjölnir concludes that he will keep him due to his strength, but threatens to kill him if he proves himself untrustworthy. He also keeps several other slaves, including Olga.

That night, Amleth sneaks out of the dwelling where the slaves are kept and makes an unsuccessful attempt to steal a knife from Völundur the Smith. He meets a vixen and sees Gudrún shooing several ravens away from her window. He repeats his vow to save her, avenge Aurvandil and kill Fjölnir. The next morning while carrying out his slave duties, he carries a tapestry depicting the Tree of Kings indoors, but is told off for dallying and staring at Fjölnir and Gudrún. Olga approaches him afterwards and asks if he found what he was looking for, but he tells her that what he found was much worse.

The next night, Amleth sneaks out again and follows the vixen to a cave, where he meets a He-Witch. The He-Witch presents Amleth with the rotting severed head of Heimir, revealing that Fjölnir cut out his tongue, cut off his ears and plucked out his eyes before killing him. Amleth promises to avenge Heimir too that He-Witch conjures Heimir's spirit to converse with Amleth. Amleth asks Heimir where he may find the weapon the Norns of Fate chose for his revenge. Heimir tells him of Draugr the Undead, a sword forged by the deadlists smiths who ever lived. The He-Witch tells Amleth that it can only be unsheathed in the dark of night or at the Gates of Hel. He warns Amleth that there will come a time when he must choose between kindness for his kin and hatred for his enemies, to which Amleth replies that his heart knows only revenge. He asks to know where he can find the sword and the He-Witch tells him that he must visit the Mound Dweller, who can only be defeated during the full moon.

Amleth enters to the burial mound, where he finds a skeletal soldier sitting with the sword gripped in his hands. As Amleth attempts to take the sword, the corpse comes to life. The Mound Dweller rises up to his towering height, unsheaths Draugr and attacks Amleth. He proves himself a formidable for, but Amleth grabs an axe and forces him into the moonlight, which stuns him. Amleth forces him to his knees, which forces him to drop the sword. Amleth takes Draugr and beheads the Mound Dweller, taking his head and stuffing it into corpse's rear end. As Amleth makes his way back, he is almost caught Fjölnir's dog Rakki spots him and begins barking, but Amleth frightens him away. He sees Fjölnir ordering Halldóra the Pict to fetch Olga for him. He attempts to rape Olga, but he repels him by exposing her menstrual blood. Fjölnir orders Halladora to gte Olga in line or he will kill them both. Amleth vows to torment Fjölnir with Draugr before he kills him.

Amleth meets with Olga the next morning and she tells him that a chieftain's feast will take place that day. Amleth informs her that he has acquired the weapon he will use to kill Fjölnir and tells her of his plan to free Gudrún and Gunnar once he has done so. Thórir orders Amleth to take part in a game of knattleikr against slaves of Hákon Ironbeard the chieftain of a neighboring farm. Hákon's champion, Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher is an immensely string and large brute. Once Amleth and Thorfinnr are the only remaining players, Gunnar runs out onto the field and is attacked by Thorfinnr. Amleth attacks Thorfinnr and bludgeons him to death. Gunnar is revived.

Later that night there is a celebration, where the slaves dance and sing in a rare moment of revelry. Amleth is brought before Thórir, who commends him for his bravery and loyalty and promises him certain priveleges such as less burdensome work and command over other slaves. He also allows him to choose a woman as a reward for winning them the game, even the "Slav bitch" he has seen him eyeing. However, he puts Amleth in his place affirming that they will never him a free man. Amleth returns to the other slaves, who begin to have sex, and he finds Olga. They make love in a clearing and afterwards she prays to Mother Soil to allow them to destroy their enslavers and free Amleth from his fire and sorrow. He tells her that they will begin to bring chaos to Fjölnir's life the next night.

### The Night Blade Feeds

Amleth gives orders to other slaves and helps another carry barley into a church, where Fjölnir prays to Freyr. Night falls and Amleth slaughters several of Fjölnir's soldiers. He arranges desecrates their corpses and arranges them in the shape of Sleipnir. This is discovered the next morning and upon seeing what has become of his friends, Thórir vows vengeance. He accuses the slaves and his father and stepmother order him to regain his calm. The priestess, Áshildur Hofgythja, examines the corpses and concludes that they were killed by supernatural means. That night, she attempts to sacrifice a slave, Melkorka, in a ritual in the hope that it will sate the spirit, but is distracted by howling. Amleth and the vixen howl, which drives Rakki mad and causes him to attack Fjölnir, who kills him in self-defence. Amleth frees Melkorka, binding and gagging Áshildur and disemboweling Hallur.

The next morning, Fjölnir arms the slaves to help protect the farm. Olga mixes fly agaric into the food and serves it to the soldiers that night. As the soldiers haaucinate and are consumed with terror, Amleth enters Gudrún's bedchamber. Once she arrives, he reveals his identity to her and she is shocked to learn the her firstborn still lives. he tells her of his intention to kill Fjölnir and free her. She reveals that the story she told him during his childhood, that she was a princess of Brittany, was a lie and that she was a slave whom Aurvandil only married her because she bore him a son after he had raped her. She tells him that she begged Fjölnir to kill him and Aurvandil. Amleth tells her that he saw Fjölnir carry her screaming out of the keep and she replies that she was laughing. Amleth accuses her of lying and threatens to kill her and everyone she holds dear. She tells him that she will rule alongside him if he kills Fjölnir and his sons before attempting to seduce him. Horrified, Amelth flees as she laughs wickedly. He then enters the bedchamber of the sleeping Thórir and impales him with Draugr. He tells Olga that he has disovered Gudrún's evil and vows to take vengeance on her, and that he has killed Thórir and must now flee into the hills.

The next morning, Fjölnir is devastated by the death of his firstborn and horrified to discover that he heart has been stolen. Gudrún tells him that Amleth is responsible and urges him to discover which of the slaves aided him. He begins killing them indiscriminately and concludes that Olga was one who helped Amleth. At that moment, Amleth arrives and declares that he will return Thórir's heart in exchange for her life. He then reaffirms his intention to avenge his father and begins slaughtering Fjölnir's men. Olga escapes, but Amleth is overpowered and captured. Fjölnir cuts a bag from Amleth's belt, but Amleth states that he cannot be sure that it is Thórir's heart and not that of a rabid dog killed tow nights previously. Amleth is tortured by Fjölnir, but does not reveal the location of Thórir's heart. Once Fjölnir and his men leave, a pair of ravens bite through the ropes holding him up and he is visted by Óðinn. A slave and a horse are sacrificed to allow Thórir passage into Valhöll. Fjölnir announces that the timefor mourning is over and the time for vengeance has come. However, when he goes to kill Amleth, he finds him gone and only a flock of ravens in his place. Amleth dreams of the Valkyrja carrying him to Valhöll, but when he wakes he finds himself in a hot spring, where Olga joins him.

Amleth admits that his fates did not predict Olga coming into his life, to which she replies that she did not expect to fall for a Northman. Having saved each other's lives, they declare their love for each other and makes plans to travel to Orkney, where Amleth has kinsmen. They travel to the coast and board a ship captained by Volodymyr. Olga reveals Thórir's death to the captain, who is confused by his absense. As Amleth embraces Olga, he has a vision of the Tree of Kings and discovers that she is pregnant with twins. He concludes that their children will never be safe while Fjölnir lives and swims back to the shore to carry out his vengeance, despite Olga's desperate pleas the he stay with her. She then payers to the Gods of the Earth to carry her childen to safety, promising to grow a forest in thanks.

Amleth returns to Fjölnir's farm and begins butchering his soldiers, eventually cornering Fiinr and killing him by driving Draugr through his nasal cavity. He frees the slaves and Fjölnir, having learned of Amleth's presence, orders Gudrún and Gunnar to stay in the bedchamber and keep themselves safe as he searches for Amleth. Amleth enters the bedchamber and is attacked by Gudrún, but drives Draugr through her heart. She thanks Amleth before she dies and Gunnar attacks Amleth, who kills the boy with a slash of hsi sword. Fjölnir returns and picks up the corpses of his wife and son, promising to meet Amleth at the Gates of Hell. Amleth watches as the slaves burn the farm.

### The Gates of Hell

Amleth makes his way up the mountain, where he finds the corpses of Gudrún and Gunnar alongside a decapitated horse. He kneels and expresses hope that they will all meet again in the stronghold of the All-Father. He then draws Draugr, repeats his vow of vengeance and ascends towards the peak.

At the peak, Amleth and Fjölnir abandon their armor due to the extreme heat. Naked and armed with only a sword and shield each. they viciously attack each other. Fjölnir briefly brings Amleth to his knees, but he returns to his feet. The duel ends with Amleth decaptating Fjölnir and Fjölnir driving his sword into Amleth's chest. As he lies dying, Amleth has a vision in which Olga assures him that she and their children are safe and encourages him to make his passage. The Valkyrja carries him to Valhöll.

## Cast

* Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth
* Nicole Kidman as Queen Gudrún
* Claes Bang as Fjölnir the Brotherless
* Ethan Hawke as King Aurvandil War-Raven
* Anya Taylor-Joy as Olga of the Birch Forest
* Gustav Lindh as Thórir the Proud
* Elliott Rose as Gunnar
* Willem Dafoe as Heimir the Fool
* Björk as The Seeress

## Production

### Casting

Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe and Claes Bang were announced to star in the film in December 2019 Björk, her daughter Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir Barney, Kate Dickie and Ethan Hawke were announced to have joined the cast in August 2020. Bill Skarsgård dropped out in September 2020 due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Gustav Lindh.

### Filming

Principal photography initially began in March 2020, but it was delayed due to Covid-19. Most of the filmmaking took place in Northern Ireland and lasted 87 days, wrapping in early December.

The scenes at Hrafnsey were shot at Torr Head on the coat of County Antrim and the scenes at Freysdalur were shot at Knockdhu near Larne. The scenes in the Land of the Rus were shot at Portglenone, the Clandeboye Estate, Shane's Castle and on the River Bann. The Hightown quarry outside Belfast stood in for Mount Hekla. Brief sequences were filmed in Iceland at the Svínafellsjökull glacier and the town of Akureyri.

## Videos

### Trailers

THE NORTHMAN - Official Trailer - Only In Theaters April 22THE NORTHMAN - Official Trailer 2 - Only in Theaters April 22
## References

1. ↑ Claes Bang Joins Alexander Skarsgård & Nicole Kidman In The Northman’ – Deadline
2. ↑ https://theplaylist.net/bjork-kate-dickey-join-robert-eggers-the-northman-viking-revenge-movie-20200819/
3. ↑ [https://collider.com/bill-skarsgard-leaves-the-northman-robert-eggers/ Bill Skarsgard Drops Out of Robert Eggers' New Movie, The Northman (collider.com)}
4. ↑ Robert Eggers’ ‘Northman’ Sets Revealed as Filming Starts with Dafoe, Kidman, and Björk
5. ↑ [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/coronavirus-fears-halt-line-of-duty-filming-in-northern-ireland/39047480.html Coronavirus fears halt Line of Duty filming in Northern Ireland | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk}
6. ↑ Robert Eggers Wraps Production on Star-Studded Viking Epic ‘The Northman’ — Exclusive
7. ↑ [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/from-torr-head-to-tyrella-beach-the-northmans-stunning-northern-ireland-locations-revealed/41557026.html The Northman Northern Ireland filming locations revealed - from Torr Head to Tyrella beach | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk}
8. ↑ Where The Northman Was Filmed (& How Much Was Really Iceland) (screenrant.com)

## See Also

* The Northman on Wikipedia
* The Northman on IMDb
* The Northman on X
* The Northman on Instagram
* The Northman on Facebook