Filming is under way in Hungary on the fifth season of The Last Kingdom, for what will be the final series of the successful Netflix historical drama based on Bernard Cornwell’s novels.

Alexander Dreymon will reprise his lead role as Uhtred and also make his directorial debut by directing one of the ten episodes being produced by Carnival Films. Andy Hay (Lucky Man), Paul Wilmshurst (Strike Back), Anthony Philipson (Our Girl) and Jon East (Pennyworth) will also direct across the season.

Joining the cast for the fifth season are Patrick Robinson (Sitting in Limbo) who takes the role of Father Benedict, a holy man with a troubled past, Sonya Cassidy (Humans) who plays Eadgifu, a smart and open-hearted Saxon who arrives in Winchester, and Harry Gilby (Tolkien) who plays Aethelstan, a young man trained by Uhtred to follow in his footsteps, destined to become a fearsome warrior and leader.

Based on the ninth and tenth books of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling novel series The Saxon Stories, the fifth season will see Uhtred realise his destiny is more than just Bebbanburg: it is tied to the future of England itself. Charged with training King Edward’s first-born son Aethelstan as a warrior, Uhtred’s ambition will have an even higher purpose. But to achieve this destiny, Uhtred will have to face down his greatest enemy and suffer his greatest loss.

The Last Kingdom season five is written by Martha Hillier and executive produced by Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant. The series is produced by Carnival Films and is distributed by NBCUniversal Global Distribution.