Peacock is Now Streaming One of 2022's Best Movies for Free

By Spencer Perry

Just a month after the film's release, Universal Pictures' Focus Features has announced that the Robert Eggers' hit movie The Northman is now streaming on Peacock for free. The film hails from the critically acclaimed director of The Witch and The Lighthouse, featuring star Alexander Skarsgård as the titular, vengeance seeking viking. Anchoring the film's ensemble cast also features heavyweights Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe. Skarsgård previously revealed to us how he deep he got into character, telling us: "It's in my blood."

"I grew up in Sweden," Skarsgård said earlier this year. "I grew up literally surrounded by rune stones. So it's been a dream since I was a boy. And it's about 10 years ago when I started thinking about trying to put together a Viking film. I'd never seen a great truthful depiction of the Viking age, of Viking, of Norse mythology, of how they lived, how they related to the gods, to the spiritual world. And I was excited about the possibility of maybe trying to make a big epic movie, but that stayed true to the old sagas."

As of this writing The Northman holds an 89% approval and a "Certified Fresh" distinction on Rotten Tomatoes with over 340 reviews on file. The critical consensus reads: "A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, The Northman finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his scope without sacrificing any of his signature style." Audiences were less kind though, as it holds a 64% rating, with audience consensus adding, "You might be frustrated if you're expecting something straightforward." In ComicBook.com's official review, critic Patrick Cavanaugh awarded it a 4out of 5, writing in part:

"The Northman fully delivers on its promise of Nordic mayhem, managing to satiate the most bloodthirsty of audiences, while Eggers uses all of the tools at his disposal to elevate the concept into a nightmarish epic of blood and busted skulls. Even while making good on the premise's promise, the film stumbles a bit when it attempts to offer more than that setup, yet by sticking to that narrative urgency, the experience strips the adventure of the other artifices that have dominated the genre."

The Northman joins a growing list of Universal originals that have gone from playing in theaters to streaming on Peacock, following Michael Bay's Ambulane and the drama The Outfit.

Trending Now: