HISTORY/Jonathan HessionVikings will return for a third season of pillaging and bloodshed. History announced a third season of 10 episodes is set to premiere in 2015. Production is set to begin this summer.
"Vikings has taken viewers by storm and has established itself as one of the most compelling, visually stunning dramas on television. With its large, passionate and loyal fan base, Vikings has cemented History firmly in the scripted series genre, just as we are the leaders in reality television," Dirk Hoogstra, EVP and general manager, History & H2, said in a statement. "We are incredibly fortunate to have such an enormously talented cast and crew led by Michael Hirst whose intricately woven storylines vividly brings the unknown, epic world of these Norsemen to life. Season three promises to immerse viewers even deeper into the exploits of these fearless warriors who are willing to risk it all for conquest and power."
The renewal comes four episodes into the show's second season. So far season two has been averaging 3.4 million weekly viewers. The History series follows Ragnar (Travis Fimmel), a warrior and family man on a quest to conquer new lands. The cast also includes Alexander Ludwig, Linus Roache, Katheryn Winnick, Donal Logue and Jessalyn Gilsig.
"Vikings is an epic story brought alive by a talented creative team. We are delighted by the support Vikings receives from History and their audience, as well as from our partners and fans around the globe," Roma Khanna, president of Television Group and Digital at MGM, the show's distributor, said in a statement.
Vikings airs Thursdays, 10 p.m. on History.