Anya Taylor-Joy’s R-Rated Fantasy Epic Officially Rises From the Dead on Streaming

Fans are always eager to succumb to darkness when it’s a Robert Eggers movie. The fan-favorite director is known and loved for delivering incredible period pieces with his frequent on-screen collaborators, which often feature a lot of blood and an emotional core. He always manages to transport his audience to a world that embodies fear and all things horror. From The Witch to Nosferatu, each story benefits from his eerie and atmospheric point of view.

Among such stories is The Northman, a dark Viking Vengeance saga based on an Old Norse folktale, Vita Amlethi. Passed down through word of mouth, the tale was officially recorded circa the year 1200 as part of Saxo Grammaticus' extensive history of Danish rulers and their history. It serves as the inspiration for the Alexander Skarsgård-led feature. Co-written by Eggers with frequent collaborator Sjón, The Northman follows Amleth, a Viking prince, whose father is killed by his power-hungry uncle Fjolnir. With his father dead and his mother captured by his uncle, he flees his home. Two decades later, still running from his past, he grows up to be a berserker Viking warrior who raids Slavic villages. In the course of his life, he meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow to avenge his father, save his mother, and kill Fjolnir. However, the task seems to be more difficult than he had assumed.

The audience related to the themes of the futility of the cycle of revenge. It further leans heavily into authentic Norse mythology, elaborating on fate and spirituality along with a depiction of nihilistic brutality. Loved by critics and audiences, the movie, however, was deemed a box office disappointment, earning $75.8 million worldwide, but in time it has gained cult status among fans. The movie features an ensemble cast including Skarsgård as Amleth, along with Anya Taylor-Joy as Olga of the Birch Forest, Nicole Kidman plays Queen Gudrun, and Ethan Hawke plays King Aurvandill War-Raven. Willem Dafoe plays Heimir the Fool, and Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk is the seeress.

'The Northman' Resurrects on Streaming

Fans' love is now catapulting the movie to new heights. Four years after its initial debut, The Northman is in third spot on Paramount’s global top 10 list, as per FlixPatrol. It’s standing behind Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender in a list also including titles like World War Z, Night Hunter, Scream 7, and more.