Vikings boss says there may be ‘familiar faces’ in the Netflix spin-off

Despite the fact that it is set 100 years later.

Vikings creator Michael Hirst has said there may be some "familiar faces" in the Netflix spin-off, Vikings: Valhalla. The series,  which is set 100 years after the original series, will focus on Leif Erikson, Freydis, Harald Hardrada and William the Conqueror (also a Viking descendant). And Hirst told Entertainment Tonight how he was "excited" to be moving forward into new places, although it may not mean leaving the original series totally behind. "Of course, one of the big issues is the Christianization of the Pagan world. You're going to see Christian Viking armies fighting Pagan Viking armies, and that's really interesting," he said. "And [the show is] leading up to 1066 and the invasion of England by a descendant of Rollo. So you may well see the odd familiar face." Hmmm... Earlier this week, Netflix announced a brand new Vikings TV series is on the way. Vikings: Valhalla will be a new original series from creator Michael Hirst that continues the storytelling of his beloved epic Vikings saga. The new saga begins 100 years after the original series concludes and dramatizes the adventures of the most famous Vikings who ever lived. Michael Hirst (Vikings, The Tudors), Jeb Stuart (The Fugitive, Die Hard, The Liberator) and Morgan O’Sullivan (Vikings, Penny Dreadful) will serve as executive producer. “I am beyond excited that we are announcing the continuation of our Vikings saga. I know that the millions of our fans across the globe will be thrilled by the belief being shown in our show by MGM and Netflix," Michael Hirst said.  "Jeb Stuart, a truly wonderful writer, will bring new story-lines and a powerful visceral vision to stories about some of the most famous Vikings known to history." He added that, "on a personal note", he was happy to be returning to Ireland to film the new series. "Our Irish crew, in my opinion, is the best and most professional crew in the world. And it has been a particular joy to me, shared with my producer Morgan O’Sullivan, that we have been able to give continuous employment to many hundreds of Irish men and women," he said. "Ireland is well known for its support of writers and drama and Vikings has benefitted, and will now continue to benefit, from both that cultural and financial support. Making a great show isn’t a mechanical activity; it’s a human one!”