Exploring some of the best movies about Norse mythology

Grab your popcorn and get comfy because we delve into some of the best movies that capture the brutality, magic, mystery, and spirit of the rich tapestry of Norse mythology. 

In Erik the Viking, Norse mythology meets comedy as a reluctant Viking hero seeks to save the cosmos. Source: United International Pictures, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Erik the Viking (1989) 

The early medieval period, when Vikings roamed, isn't exactly the first place you would look to uncover comedic gold. Yet Eric Idle, a member of the famous British comedic group Monty Python, oversees hijinks aplenty with Erik the Viking. 

This fantasy movie sees Erik (a baby-faced Tim Robbins) on a quest to end Ragnarök. 

Now young Erik is not your average Viking – he doesn't care to pillage and plunder and wants to – rather grandly – save the entire Norse cosmos from giant wolves and other apocalyptic beasts. 

It's great to see Hollywood imagine many of the more well-known aspects of the Norse myths, including Asgard and Fenrir. 

Whilst this is directed at a younger crowd, those with gray hairs will have a chuckle, too, especially with some famous faces popping up in cameos. 

Erik the Viking is currently streaming on Amazon for those interested in a comedic take on Norse mythology.

In Beowulf, Norse and Anglo-Saxon myths blend as the hero confronts the fearsome Grendel. Source: Paramount Pictures, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Beowulf (2007) 

This movie was groundbreaking when it first came out almost a generation ago, back in 2007. It is fair to say that, thanks to the advances in computer technology, the graphics seem a little aged nowadays. 

These (then) amazing CGI graphics foreshadowed the direction that many Hollywood film studios would pivot to from that point onwards. 

Whilst this movie is based upon the classic Old English poem, it is very much set in the Viking world throughout Scandinavia. 

Beowulf (the voice of Ray Winstone) sets out to rid Denmark – one of the birthplaces of the Vikings – of the evil monster Grendel, who has not only been terrorizing all the Danes but also (most importantly) the mead hall of their ruler, Hrothgar. 

Though Beowulf is adapted from an Anglo-Saxon poem, this version is steeped in Norse influences. Grendel resembles many fantastical beasts from Norse legends, whilst there are references to wyrd (fate), similar to the Norse concept of urðr (fate). 

Beowulf can be streamed on Amazon, bringing a blend of CGI and myth to the screen.

Severed Ways follows Norse explorers in North America, struggling against nature, native populations, and Christian influence. Source: Magnolia Pictures, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America (2007) 

It wasn't until the early 1960s that conclusive archeological proof showed people from Viking societies were the first Europeans to settle in the Americas, centuries before Christopher Columbus. 

Whilst there were tales of the Norse discovery, exploration, settlement, and eventual exodus from a strange place west of Greenland they dubbed "Vinland," these accounts were dismissed by historians as mere artistic license. 

When remains of a Norse settlement were discovered at L'Anse aux Meadows in 1960, the entire history of transoceanic contact between Europe and the Americas had to be rewritten. 

It is on the coast of North America that two men from a Viking society find themselves stranded in 1002 CE. 

These two brave Vikings are very much not alone, as they soon encounter the local Indigenous population, the famed Skrælingar of the Norse sagas. 

What sets this film apart from other Viking movies is the use of the Old Norse language and the almost documentary-style cinematography, which gives the film a gritty and realistic feel. 

The utter isolation and paranoia the two men feel, stranded in a strange, new world, adds to the heightened sense of drama throughout the movie. 

Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America is available to stream on Amazon. 

Outlander adds a sci-fi twist to Norse mythology, placing an alien visitor among Viking warriors. Source: Lantern Entertainment, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Outlander (2008) 

Whilst the premise of this movie is rather far-fetched – a visitor from outer space crash-lands into a Viking society in early medieval Norway – this blend of science fiction elements with historical accuracy is surprisingly well done. 

Jim Caviezel is a man from another world who ends up in Viking-era Norway with a predator. 

Visitors and aliens from outer space aren't exactly part of the rich tapestry of Norse mythology; however, fantastical beasts and mythical creatures can be found throughout the myths and sagas. 

The villagers are unsure whether Kainan and his "friend" are sent by the Norse gods to help or hinder them, and this ambiguity makes for gripping viewing. 

Despite the science fiction tone, the makers of Outlander have gone to great lengths to make the village that Kainan crash-lands into as historically accurate as possible. 

A great movie to watch to get a feel – to take in the sights, sounds, and smells – of what life in an early medieval Norwegian village was truly like. 

Outlander is available on Amazon for those interested in a sci-fi twist on Viking Age Norway. 

This Norwegian film delves into Norse mythology, with a story focused on runes and a hidden monster. Source: Nordisk Filmdistribusjon, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Gåten Ragnarök (The Riddle of Ragnarok, 2013) 

People in Viking societies often get derided as merely a bunch of barbarians. 

Whilst there is no doubt that these societies did produce a quarrelsome minority of warriors (the Vikings), they were also responsible for developing a sophisticated writing system – the runic alphabet. 

The Riddle of Ragnarok, or just simply Ragnarok, is a Norwegian production that sees the magic and mystery of the runes – which were said to have magical powers (just ask Odin) – take center stage. 

Sigurd Svendsen (Pål Sverre Hagen) plays a Norwegian archeologist who oversees a team bent on discovering the meaning of runes carved on the side of a mountain. 

Rather than gaining ultimate knowledge (or losing an eye), Svendsen and his team manage to awaken a mythical beast. 

Much of the action occurs in the Norwegian High North, a region that straddles Norway and its northern neighbor, Russia. 

This is generally aimed at a younger audience, but there is a great deal of explanation about the mystic powers of the runes that may be lost on younger children. 

Gåten Ragnarök is available for streaming on Amazon, focusing on the secrets of Norse runes. 

In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor finds himself on a distant planet while the end of Asgard looms closer. Source: Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, screenshot (Copyright, fair use)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) 

The third installment in the popular Marvel franchise about the Norse God of Thunder sees Chris Hemsworth return to wield mighty Mjöllnir. 

Sibling rivalry has never looked so good in this epic tale, as Thor must battle his sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) and face the looming destruction of Asgard.

Thor has been left stranded on a planet and might unite with some familiar faces (Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki) and new ones (Mark Ruffalo as the very un-Norse Bruce Banner/Hulk). 

This is an entertaining and high-octane introduction to some of the lesser-known spiritual aspects of Norse mythology, including the cataclysmic end of time, Ragnarök, as well as the Norse goddess Hel, ruler of the underworld. 

Directed by the always funny Taika Waititi, there are plenty of hijinks and humor throughout what is surprisingly quite a dark tale. 

Thor: Ragnarok can be streamed on Amazon, featuring Marvel’s lively take on Norse mythology.

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