SPOILER WARNING: Plot and ending details for The Last Kingdom follow.

The Netflix series The Last Kingdom takes its fans on an action-packed rollercoaster ride. This historical series is based on the novel series The Saxon Stories by the British author Bernard Cornwell, OBE. 

Our protagonist is Uhtred of Bebbanburg, whose family of noblemen is killed by the Vikings, who then raise him. 

The show's timeline spans through the 8th and 9th centuries AD, where we continuously get to witness Uhtred being torn from having to choose between the Saxon kingdom, his birthright, and the Vikings that raised him thereafter.

BBC Two originally aired the show in 2015.

Eventually, Netflix started streaming it and ended up being the show’s sole distributor from season 3 onwards in 2018, after being appraised and cheered on by critics and viewers alike for the impeccable cinematography and action sequences.

The fourth season was particularly well-received; all 10 episodes of roughly one hour each aired on April 26, 2020, on Netflix.

Fans are now on their toes to see more of Uhtred’s quest to reclaim his ancestry and family home in the upcoming season. 

After only a few months, Netflix announced on July 7, 2020, that the series had been renewed for season 5.

Nigel Marchant, one of the show's executive producers, reportedly said that they were thrilled to be working on the production of season 5 of the show after the extraordinary response the previous season had received. 

The official commencing of the filming for season 5 was scheduled for November 2020. With the production on the show well underway, the team reflects how, despite the global pandemic, they managed to begin filming on the schedule.

A large chunk of the show is shot in Hungary, one of the first film industries to welcome back international productions. 

Further, if the filming were to go according to schedule, with the wrap-up in the second half of 2021, The Last Kingdom season 5 can be expected to release anywhere from between late 2021 or early 2022, though there isn't a precise release date. 

Although some behind the scenes photos have prompted speculation and stirred a buzz amongst the fandom.

The cast primarily includes Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred, Arnas Fedaravicius as Sihtric, Millie Brady as Aethelflaed, Mark Rowley as Finan, and Emily Cox as Brida, who are expected to be joined by Eva Birthistle as Hild, Timothy Innes as Edward, Jeppe Beck Laursen as Haesten, Toby Regbo as Aethelred, and James Northcote as Aldhelm.  

Likewise, the time factor is certain to alter some casting choices like Edward's sons Aethalstan (Caspar Griffiths) and Aelfweard (Marcell Zsolt Halmy).

On the other hand, Ian Hart and Eliza Butterworth may be missing since their characters were killed off in the last season. 

Season 5, much like its predecessors, will also cover approximately two novels worth of story; hence the plot will be based on Warriors of the Storm and The Flame Bearer.

We shall expect to witness Uhtred's realization that his fate is tangled not just in the future of Bebbanburg but in the future of England, along with the story of Uhtred's children, who have started playing a more significant role in his life.

This implies that the story is to take place at a much grander scale than before.