Normally I wouldn’t bother with a press release like this, but they went to such an effort and, you know, VIKINGS!
VIKINGS RETURN TO LONDON
For the first time since the original 842 AD London invasion, a 35-foot Viking longboat complete with fifteen Viking raiders sailed down the River Thames today.
Two replica boats used in the critically acclaimed US TV series VIKINGS were sailed along the Thames and parked up alongside iconic London landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament to mark the UK release of the show on Amazon’s LOVEFiLM.
The company struck the landmark broadcasting deal with MGM Television late last week (Friday 10th May), which sees all nine episodes of the Norse action-drama released exclusively at once in full high definition through the LOVEFiLM Instant online streaming service as opposed to traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting channels.
Starring Travis Fimmel (The Beast, The Experiment), Golden Globe winner Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects, Miller’s Crossing) and Katheryn Winnick (Love and Other Drugs, Bones), VIKINGS chronicles the epic adventures of notorious Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok (Fimmel), a Viking warrior who yearns to explore – and raid – the distant shores of the ocean. VIKINGS also stars George Blagden (Wrath of the Titans), Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee), Gustaf Skarsgard (The Way Back), and Clive Standen (Camelot).
Created and written by Michael Hirst – one of the most respected historical storytellers in the industry (Academy-Award® winning film Elizabeth; and the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated series The Tudors), VIKINGS is a tale of warfare, sex, bloodshed, ambition, family and brotherhood. The epic drama is the number one new cable series of the year in the U.S.
Simon Morris, Chief Marketing Officer at LOVEFiLM, said:
“Geneticists say there’s a bit of Viking DNA in all of us so we’re delighted to give our members the opportunity to indulge in first class entertainment and feast on the story of their ancestry. This is a landmark moment in the history of LOVEFiLM as it is the first time a major TV series has aired on our service before traditional broadcasting channels. We are serious about securing the best film and TV entertainment for our members and this demonstrates how content creators view LOVEFiLM as an effective broadcasting medium for high-quality and premium entertainment.”
VIKINGS will premiere on LOVEFiLM Instant in the UK on May 24th 2013 and Germany on 15th June 2013 and will be available exclusively on the streaming service in both countries. MGM Television is serving as the international distributor in all markets outside of the U.S., Ireland and Canada.
LOVEFiLM Instant is available on PC, Mac or via Nintendo Wii and Wii U, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony Playstation®3, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire, Apple iPad® and a growing number of Internet-connected TV sets and Blu-ray players, giving members immediate access to a huge range of the latest films and premium TV shows from as little as £4.99 a month.
More vikings in Piccadilly Circus and Parliament Square after the jump. If you want trailers, boy, do I have the entry for you.
Continue reading “Vikings invade London”
