The Northman is a 2022 American epic period action drama film directed by Robert Eggers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón. Based on the legend of Amleth from Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus, the film follows Amleth, an exiled Viking prince who sets out on a quest to avenge the murder of his father at the hands of his uncle at the height of the Viking Age. It features an ensemble cast of Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.

Eggers and Skarsgård, who both also produced, had met to discuss possible collaborations; Eggers decided to make the film his third project after meeting with Skarsgård, who had wanted to make a Viking film for several years. Much of the cast joined in October 2019 and filming took place in locations throughout Iceland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland from August to December 2020. The film is heavily influenced by Norse mythology.

The Northman premiered at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18, 2022, though it had already been released theatrically in some European and South American countries beginning on April 13. It was released in the United States on April 22. It received widespread critical acclaim but underperformed at the box office, grossing $69.6 million on a net budget of $70 million. It later found an unexpected amount of financial success on VOD and home media, allowing it to recoup a large portion of its box office losses.

In AD 895, King Aurvandill "War-Raven" returns to the island of Hrafnsey, reuniting with his wife, Queen Gudrún, and his heir, Prince Amleth. To prepare Amleth for his eventual accession to the throne, the father and son participate in a ceremony overseen by Aurvandill's jester, Heimir. Heimir tells Amleth that his destiny is fixed and cannot be escaped, and Amleth vows to avenge his father if Aurvandill is ever slain, rather than live his life in shame. The next morning, Amleth's bastard uncle Fjölnir stages a palace coup, beheads Aurvandill, sacks the hillfort and carries away Gudrún. Amleth narrowly escapes Fjölnir's assassins and flees by boat, swearing vengeance.

Several years later, an adult Amleth is a type of berserker, known as an ulfhéðinn, within a band of Vikings. After attacking a village in Garðaríki, he encounters a Seeress in the temple of Svetovit; the Seeress orders Amleth to remember his oath of vengeance and tells him that his fate is intertwined with that of a Maiden-King. Soon after, he learns that "Fjölnir the Brotherless" has lost his throne to Harald of Norway and now lives as a sheep farmer in Iceland. Branding himself as a thrall, a slave, Amleth sneaks aboard a ship taking them to Iceland. He encounters an enslaved Slavic woman named Olga, who claims to be a sorceress. They are taken to Fjölnir's farm, where Amleth learns his mother married Fjölnir and bore him a son named Gunnar.

One night, Amleth follows a vixen and encounters a he-witch, who facilitates a seance between Amleth and the skull of Heimir, whom Fjölnir has also murdered. Heimir tells Amleth about Draugr, a magical sword that can only be drawn at night or at the Gates of Hel. Amleth enters a barrow and obtains the blade from its owner, the undead Mound Dweller. He hides the sword upon his return to the farm. The next day, Amleth is selected to compete in a game of knattleikr against another farm. The game turns violent when the leader of the opposing team brutalizes the competition until only he and Amleth are left. Gunnar (looking up to Amleth, not knowing he is his half-brother), is almost killed in trying to draw away the opposing player; but Amleth saves him, furiously beating his opponent to death. As a reward, Fjölnir's adult son, Thórir, grants him overseer duties and allows him to choose a woman.

During the evening celebrations, Amleth and Olga make love; they promise to overcome Fjölnir together. Over several nights Amleth kills prominent members of Fjölnir's estate in unnatural ways, arranging their impaled body parts into the shape of a horse in a gruesome display. This makes Fjölnir and the entire estate believe they are under attack from an evil spirit. Olga mixes the food supply with fly agaric, a potent hallucinogen. Christian slaves are believed by Thórir to be responsible. This allows Amleth to enter Fjölnir's house. Amleth reveals his identity to Gudrún, who replies that she was Aurvandill's slave and that Amleth was conceived by rape. Gudrún also reveals that she masterminded Fjölnir's coup because she wanted both Aurvandill and Amleth dead; she tries to seduce Amleth, who, after a moment, rejects her. Enraged, Amleth kills Thórir, and cuts out his heart.

Gudrún reveals Amleth's true identity to Fjölnir and calls for Amleth's death. Fjölnir decides to kill Olga, but Amleth offers to trade Olga's life for Thórir's heart. Amleth allows himself to be captured, and is tortured for the location of Thórir's heart. Amleth is released from his restraints by a flock of ravens sent by Odin and Olga rescues him. Amleth decides to abandon his quest for revenge, and the two decide to escape by boat to his kinsmen in the Orkney Islands. Aboard the vessel Amleth has a vision, and realizes that Olga is pregnant with twins, one of whom will be the Maiden-King prophesied by the Seeress. Realizing that Olga and their children will never be safe while Fjölnir lives, Amleth, despite Olga's pleas, jumps overboard and swims ashore reasoning that he cannot escape his fate.