The Last Kingdom VFX Breakdown
The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels.The first series of eight episodes premiered on 10 October 2015 on BBC America, and on BBC Two in the UK on 22 October 2015. A second season of eight episodes was aired on BBC Two in the UK in March 2017, co-produced by Netflix after the exit of BBC America.
The third season of ten episodes is available exclusively on Netflix. A forthcoming fourth season has been reported.
The series is set in the late 9th century AD, when England is divided into seven separate kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxon lands are gradually attacked, plundered, and effectively ruled by Viking Danes in many areas. The Kingdom of Wessex remains the last major stronghold against the Danes.
The protagonist is Uhtred of Bebbanburg. (Several men of that name existed and ruled Bebbanburg) (Bamburgh Castle), but little is known of their actual lives. In short historic sections at the end of each book, Bernard Cornwell explains that he is descended from them and decided to invent a history based on actual historic events.
The tale has its main character be re-baptised as Uhtred after his elder brother is killed by the invading Danes. Then his father along with other Saxon noblemen of Northumbria are killed in battle with these same Danes. Only his uncle and step-mother survive. Uhtred and a Saxon girl named Brida are taken as slaves by Earl Ragnar, now settled in Danish Northumbria which becomes their adopted home as they grow older. Time passes and Ragnar's daughter Thyra is about to be married, but fellow Danes attack the night before the wedding and set the hall ablaze in which the whole family are sleeping. Ragnar is burned alive, and Thyra is taken as a slave. Only Uhtred and Brida escape, as they had been in the woods watching the charcoal burn.
The attackers are led by Kjartan, a disgruntled Viking who had been banished by Ragnar from his lands years earlier for an offense committed by Kjartan's son Sven. Uhtred vows to avenge his adoptive father's death, while simultaneously hoping to reclaim Bebbanburg from his uncle—who seeks to kill Uhtred in order to hold onto the land of Bebbanburg.
Uhtred is forced to choose between a kingdom that shares his ancestry and the people of his upbringing, and his loyalties are constantly tested.
The first series' story line roughly covers the plots of the novels The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman, although they are condensed for the purposes of television. The second series covers the plots of Cornwell's novels The Lords of the North and Sword Song. Season 3 is based on The Burning Land and Death of Kings.
The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels.The first series of eight episodes premiered on 10 October 2015 on BBC America, and on BBC Two in the UK on 22 October 2015. A second season of eight episodes was aired on BBC Two in the UK in March 2017, co-produced by Netflix after the exit of BBC America.
The third season of ten episodes is available exclusively on Netflix. A forthcoming fourth season has been reported.
The series is set in the late 9th century AD, when England is divided into seven separate kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxon lands are gradually attacked, plundered, and effectively ruled by Viking Danes in many areas. The Kingdom of Wessex remains the last major stronghold against the Danes.
The protagonist is Uhtred of Bebbanburg. (Several men of that name existed and ruled Bebbanburg) (Bamburgh Castle), but little is known of their actual lives. In short historic sections at the end of each book, Bernard Cornwell explains that he is descended from them and decided to invent a history based on actual historic events.
The tale has its main character be re-baptised as Uhtred after his elder brother is killed by the invading Danes. Then his father along with other Saxon noblemen of Northumbria are killed in battle with these same Danes. Only his uncle and step-mother survive. Uhtred and a Saxon girl named Brida are taken as slaves by Earl Ragnar, now settled in Danish Northumbria which becomes their adopted home as they grow older. Time passes and Ragnar's daughter Thyra is about to be married, but fellow Danes attack the night before the wedding and set the hall ablaze in which the whole family are sleeping. Ragnar is burned alive, and Thyra is taken as a slave. Only Uhtred and Brida escape, as they had been in the woods watching the charcoal burn.
The attackers are led by Kjartan, a disgruntled Viking who had been banished by Ragnar from his lands years earlier for an offense committed by Kjartan's son Sven. Uhtred vows to avenge his adoptive father's death, while simultaneously hoping to reclaim Bebbanburg from his uncle—who seeks to kill Uhtred in order to hold onto the land of Bebbanburg.
Uhtred is forced to choose between a kingdom that shares his ancestry and the people of his upbringing, and his loyalties are constantly tested.
The first series' story line roughly covers the plots of the novels The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman, although they are condensed for the purposes of television. The second series covers the plots of Cornwell's novels The Lords of the North and Sword Song. Season 3 is based on The Burning Land and Death of Kings.