The Last Kingdom is over after five great seasons and a sequel film, but there are still 10 incredible spinoff ideas that deserve to happen.
The Last Kingdom is over after a glorious five-season run and a sequel film to cap things off, but there are still 10 incredible spinoff ideas that could carry this historical fiction franchise into the future. The Last Kingdom has become one of the most popular historical dramas on Netflix, garnering a dedicated fan base through its exceptional character development and expertly choreographed battles. Even though the series has covered all 13 of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories novels, there are plenty of other stories left to tell.
Firstly, Cornwell himself has written several similar historical fiction series that could make for great precursors to The Last Kingdom. Moreover, there are loads of great characters left over from The Last Kingdom whose stories could be extended into a series. One of the things that makes The Last Kingdom so popular is its excellent characters, so bringing one or two back for a spinoff would be an easy way of extending the franchise. Whether they are based on an existing Last Kingdom character, one of Cornwell's novel series, or a historical event tied to The Last Kingdom's story, these 10 spinoffs would fit right into The Last Kingdom's world.
Cornwell's The Grail Quest Series
One of the best options for a spinoff of The Last Kingdom is an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell's The Grail Quest series. This book series follows a man's vain quest to find the Holy Grail during the Hundred Years War between England and France. Like The Saxon Stories, this is another riveting series of novels that could make for great entertainment on-screen. The series' protagonist, Thomas of Hookton, is another of Cornwell's expertly layered characters, and with the right actor, Thomas of Hookton could become the next Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
The First Viking Age In Ireland
One spinoff that would have ample opportunity to recreate the success of The Last Kingdom's battle scenes would be a series following the First Viking age in England. This could theoretically take place in unison with The Last Kingdom, and could even bring some of the original show's characters in. The Last Kingdom often mentions the various Vikings raiding in Ireland, and occasionally, some of the show's biggest characters either go there or arrive in England from there. However, The Last Kingdom doesn't really explore what happened in Ireland during this time, making it possible for a spinoff to tell that story.
The Sons Of Ragnar Lothbrok
It's possible that The Last Kingdom already has a way to continue without Uhtred in the form of Ragnar Lothbrok's son. One of Ragnar's sons, Ubba, appears in The Last Kingdom already, and The Saxon Stories include two more of his sons, Ivar and Halfdan. This would be a perfect precursor to The Last Kingdom because it would explain how Wessex came to be the last kingdom still controlled by Anglo-Saxons. It could serve as a prequel leading all the way up to the death of Uhtred's family and the fall of Mercia shortly after.
The most classic option for continuing The Last Kingdom would be to simply pick up a couple of years after the end of Seven Kings Must Die and tell the story of King Aethelstan's rule. He is one of the most famous English kings in history, so there is plenty more to tell in his story. He may have controlled all of England after the Battle of Brunanburh, but it was some time before he could mold the former nations into one unified kingdom. This spinoff could tell that story and capitalize on one The Last Kingdom's most interesting characters.
The Norman Conquest Of England
The Last Kingdom tells the story of England's unification as a single Anglo-Saxon kingdom, but by 1066, England was overtaken by William the Conqueror and the Normans, replacing the Anglo-Saxon nobility with the blood of Normandy. This would make an excellent story, and it would be a natural continuation of the events that unfold across The Last Kingdom. The unification of England under Aethelstan was what allowed the Normans to inherit an already unified land after defeating the Saxon forces at the Battle of Hastings. There are plenty of battles and intriguing political dynamics from this period the show could draw on.
Finan is one of The Last Kingdom's most likable characters, and a spinoff series focused on his life could be an easy way of continuing the franchise's story. The best way to do that would be to depict a younger Finan living in Ireland and finish the story with him being enslaved on the ship he meets Uhtred on in The Last Kingdom. This could easily line up chronologically with The Last Kingdom, and it could explore the Viking raids in Ireland. This show could also include some of the older characters from the original show, like Ragnar Ragnarsson or Anlaf.
Stiorra's Life After The Last Kingdom
Uhtred's daughter, Stiorra, is also a great character from The Last Kingdom who could star in a spinoff series. Stiorra more or less disappears after The Last Kingdom season 5, so it would make sense to bring her back and fill the audience in on what happened to her after Sigtryggr's death. Stiorra left Uhtred with a crowd of dedicated followers at the end of The Last Kingdom season 5, meaning she still has some power and influence she could bring into a potential spinoff series. This spinoff could provide some extra closure on what happened to the show's surviving characters after the Battle of Brunanburh.
King Constantin of Alba has the potential to be the catalyst for a brand-new story set in the show's world. Constantin's reign could be told congruently with The Last Kingdom's timeline, perhaps even bringing some of the original cast in occasionally, or it could take place in the aftermath of the Battle of Brunanburh. Either way, this show could explore the power dynamics of Alba while detailing some of the major cultural differences between the people of Alba (modern-day Scotland) and the Saxons of modern-day England.
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