Prime Video has given media buyers an early signal on its next big swing: a pre-premiere second season. The streamer released first look images for Bloodaxe, a Norse saga from Vikings creator Michael Hirst and Horatio Hirst, and confirmed the eight-episode first season is expected to land in 2027. A second season is already in production in Ireland.
What’s on the slate
The series follows Erik Bloodaxe, played by Xavier Molyneux, and Gunnhild, Mother of Kings, played by Jessica Madsen. The cast also includes Karlis Arnolds Avots, Levi Miller, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marie, Rune Temte and Jesper Christensen. Michael and Horatio Hirst are showrunners, writers and executive producers.
- Eight episodes ordered for Prime Video’s first season.
- Debut window is 2027, with no fixed date yet.
- Second season already greenlit and filming in Ireland.
- Michael and Horatio Hirst are showrunners, writers and executive producers.
Why an early renewal matters
For entertainment marketers and media planners, a Season 2 order before a single frame airs is not routine. It means Prime Video is underwriting the show as a franchise, not waiting for completion data. The platform locks creative and production capacity early, which can shorten the gap between seasons and make the property easier to sell to brand partners.
The Hirst name is doing part of that work. A creator with a proven Norse-epic track record lowers the perceived risk of an unproven title, and the early renewal turns that perception into a commitment.
Stephen King gives MGM+ its own retention play
In the same roundup, MGM+ dated the second season of The Institute for Nov. 8, with episodes rolling Sundays through Dec. 20. It is a clear retention schedule: Stephen King source material, a return after the characters’ escape, and a weekly cadence into the year-end window. For buyers, it is a reminder that niche services lean on known IP for predictable tune-in, even at smaller scale.
The common thread: platforms are buying creators and franchises, not just one-season bets.
What to do with this
Treat the 2027 window as flexible until Prime Video locks a date. In planning, map Bloodaxe against the Vikings audience and theme, not generic drama demos. For The Institute, the Sunday-through-Dec. 20 schedule can anchor weekly campaign flights for horror and King-adjacent audiences.
Source: Variety
