Upcoming 2022 Film/TV Reviews (No Spoilers)
Shows I'll be watching. And hopefully loving.
What follows are some Film and TV Reviews I’m planning for early-mid 2022 and beyond. It’s a bit Viking heavy but that’s what is out there. There are other shows like Death on the Nile and the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series that I may plug into the docket. Let me know what else you think would be interesting to cover.
VIKINGS: VALHALLA (TV/Netflix/February 25)
Follow-up series to Vikings set 100 years afterward and centering on the adventures of Leif Erikson, Freydis, Harald Hardrada and the Norman King William the Conqueror.
A spinoff of the wildly popular Vikings Tv series, Vikings: Valhalla takes place in the 11th century about 100 years after the time of the original. While the characters in Vikings were largely unknown or obscure, Valhalla highlights some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived.
I very much enjoyed Vikings, especially the first 5 seasons. Vikings: Valhalla will need to find a fresh story and not rehash the typical Viking stuff or viewers may get tired of endless blue-gray fog, berserker posturing and skull-crushing.
THE LAST KINGDOM: SEASON FIVE (TV/Netflix/March 9)
I reviewed the first four seasons of this great historical series while I worked for Fansided, and it really is a blast. You can’t go wrong watching the headstrong Uthred of Bebbanburg battle to recover his father’s lost title while mixed up with Alfred the Great and the bloody struggles of 9th century Viking vs. Saxon politics.
Based on the novel series by Bernard Cornwell, you can think of this show as a more youthful and less complicated Game of Thrones, but that doesn’t mean it is lesser. The trailer for season five (the final season) is gripping and as the main series-long plotlines come to a head it sure looks like they’re going to wrap most everything up. If you’re new and you want to watch it, I’d highly recommend you binge seasons 1-4 first.
THE NORTHMAN (Film/April 22)
From visionary director Robert Eggers comes The Northman, an action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father's murder.
Looks like a womper, especially coming from Mr. weird Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse) and promises to be violent, obsessive and otherwordly-edged. Stars Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Bjork.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER (TV/Amazon Prime/Friday, September 22, 2022/USA)
We’ve arrived at the BIG TAMALE, namely Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings prequel project that is on track to be the most expensive TV series ($1 billion and counting) in history. Here’s the official Amazon Studios blurb:
This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
A lot of description for a massive undertaking, I suppose.
Along with the price tag comes astronomical expectations from a huge and protective Tolkien fan base. There may be no way for this series to win many hearts in the beginning but Amazon understands the obstacles: they’ve put their money where their mouth is, preordering two full seasons in the hopes that The Rings of Power will find its own way to woo all those uncertain fans.
Looking for the inside scoop on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Check out this fascinating Vanity Fair article by Anthony Breznican and Joanna Robinson.
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (TV/HBO)
The story of the House Targaryen set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Second only to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in anticipatory status, HBO’s long-awaited Game of Thrones prequel also has big shoes to fill. Despite Game of Throne’s unfortunate final season it can still be considered one of the finest fantasy TV shows ever made.
Focusing on Daenarys Targaryen’s family line, House of Dragons is based on Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood. Taking place in the ancient kingdom of Valyria (a culture Martin modeled on ancient Rome), the story chronicles the beginning and the end of the reign of the Targaryen dragonlords and possibly their survival after the ‘Doom of Valyria.’
George R.R. Martin says he’s “loving” the early rough edits of the episodes he’s seen, but also states that there is “a lot more work needed.” Hopefully we’ll see Dragon released before the end of 2022. Season One will consist of 10 episodes.
THE MANDALORIAN: SEASON THREE (TV/Disney)
Season Three of The Mandalorian has no set release date, but I assume it’ll be out in 2022. It’ll be interesting to see how Mando proceeds without the little green fella.
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