Twilight of the Gods (TV series)

Twilight of the Gods
Created by	Zack Snyder Jay Oliva Eric Carrasco
Composers	Hans Zimmer Omer Benyamin Steven Doar
Country of origin	United States France
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Executive producers	Zack Snyder Deborah Snyder Wesley Coller Jay Oliva
Producers	Sherry Gunther Shugerman Eric Carrasco
Running time	27–42 minutes
Production companies	Stone Quarry Animation Xilam Animation
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)

Twilight of the Gods is an adult animated television series based on Norse mythology. It features the voices of Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbæk, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristofer Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan and Corey Stoll.

Co-produced by American company Stone Quarry Animation and French studio Xilam Animation, the series premiered on Netflix on September 19, 2024.

Voice cast and characters

• Sylvia Hoeks as Sigrid, a half-human, half-Jötunn warrior who swears revenge on Thor after he interrupts her wedding and slaughters her clan.
• Stuart Martin as Leif, a human king and Sigrid's lover who joins her quest for vengeance.
• Rahul Kohli as Egill
• Paterson Joseph as Loki Laufeyson
• Pilou Asbæk as Thor Odinson, the bloodthirsty, foul-mouthed god of thunder who unleashes his wrath on Sigrid and Leif's wedding.
• Peter Franzén as Glaumar
• Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Hervor
• Paget Brewster as Jarnglumra
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Baldr
• Susan Denaker as Geitla
• Josefin Asplund as Fenja
• Ben Prendergast as Fjolverkr / Somr / Heimdall
• Jamie Chung as Hel
• Kristofer Hivju as Andvari
• Jamie Clayton as Áile, the Seid-Kona
• Peter Stormare as Ulfr
• John Noble as Odin
• Ray Porter as Jorg / Bolverkr
• Morla Gorrondona as Marja
• Roger Craig Smith as Bjorn
• Corey Stoll as Hrafnkel
• Lauren Cohan as Inge
• Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Thyra
• Tracy Ifeachor as Freya
• Anya Chalotra as Sif
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Tiwaz
• Jessica Henwick as Sandraudiga
• Dave B. Mitchell as Fáfnir
• Yetide Badaki as Dahl
• Tove Lo as Jörmungandr
• Helena Mattsson as Angrboða
• Tómas Lemarquis as Odd

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"The Bride–Price"	Zack Snyder	Eric Carrasco	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
After meeting and falling in love on a battlefield the half-giant Sigrid becomes engaged to King Leif of the Völsung Viking clan. After making love in the home he built for her Sigrid expresses her wish to marry in her homeland of Jotunheim among her family. After retrieving his fathers sword from his tomb to bless the wedding Leif and Sigrid travel to Jotunheim. Sigrid’s father Giant King Glaumar is impressed by Leif’s gift of seeds to repair their farmlands pillaged by the Aesir God Odin. The wedding is interrupted by the Aesir Gods Thor and his brother Baldr seeking the escaped criminal Loki the Frost Giant, hiding nearby disguised as a serpent. Disbelieving their claims of ignorance Thor massacres the entire clan, leaving only Leif and Sigrid alive when Baldr mercifully tricks Thor into believing they are dead. Sigrid swears she will kill Thor and is immediately summoned to Hel by Loki who offers his assistance.
2	"Heretic Spear"	Jay Oliva	Caitlin Parrish	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Loki and his daughter Hel advise Sigrid to acquire god killing iron from the dwarf Andvari, and an army from the Vanir Gods. Sigrid seeks out five warriors touched by madness. After gathering Hervor Shield-biter and Leif’s own slave Egill the Poet they enter the woods seeking a Seid-Kona witch, who ate her baby to gain the All-Seeing Eye from the Vanir Goddess Freya. The witch, Aile, explains it was her mother who ate a baby; she merely inherited her powers. She soon volunteers herself and her slave Ulfr the Wolf-man for their quest. Traveling to the forges of Nidavellir Loki aids the group in bypassing the dead betrayed women guarding the gates. There, Andvari offers god killing weapons but warns wielding them will curse their souls. Sigrid takes the spear Antler, Aile twin daggers, Hervor a sword and Leif an axe. Andvari chooses to go with them as the fifth warrior. Sigrid throws herself into the dead river where the betrayed women use their pain to make her skin harder than iron. Nearby, the ravens Thought and Memory spy on them for Odin.
3	"You Will Gladden His Ravens"	Tim Divar & Andrew Tamandl	Peter Aperlo	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
In a flashback Thor is seduced by Loki’s son, the World Serpent Jörmungandr in female form, to bind their fates. Baldr warns Thor a woman seeks his death. Loki makes a deal with Freya that her people the Vanir will welcome Sigrid if she proves worthy. Sigrid and the others search in vain for Vanaheim which has been hidden ever since Odin defeated them and stole their powers of prophecy, the immortality granting Apples of Idunn, and Freya as his bride. Ulfr reports they are being followed by Odin’s huntsmen, the Bolverkr’s. Sigrid is frustrated when Loki ignores her summons. Hervor worries if they fight against the Aesir they may not be welcomed to Valhalla where her three sons are waiting for her. Evading the Bolverkr’s the group shelter at a farm. Thor defies Odin and leaves to find Sigrid. The farmers betray the group who slay them before fleeing with the farmer’s slave woman. Thor chases them but is prevented from following them when the woman opens the portal to Vanaheim, which no God can enter without starting another war. The woman, a servant of Vanaheim’s king, deems the group worthy to enter.
4	"The Worm"	Dave Hartman & Andrew Tamandl	Eric Carrasco & Caitlin Parrish	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Having been forced to retreat Thor encounters Sandraudiga, Goddess of Defeat. King Tiwaz of Vanaheim refuses to help them as he cannot risk war with Asgard. With Loki whispering in her ear Sigrid offers to return the Apples of Idunn to cure the Vanir’s withered bodies. Tiwaz agrees and sends the woman Thyra with them. Leif grants Egill freedom. Unsure what to do Egill goes to Aile for advice on his future, but she spurns his romantic advances, hoping he will return home. It is revealed the dragon Fafnir who guards the apples was once a dwarf prince and Andvari’s friend who conspired with Loki to seize the throne and steal Andvari’s gold, but was cursed into a dragon. Fearing they may die Sigrid and Leif make love on the ship, secretly witnessed by Thyra, whom Sigrid later teases. After a mighty battle Fafnir is defeated and turned back to a dwarf. Andvari chooses to spare him but Leif cuts off his head. They return the apples to Tiwaz but the Vanir grow sick as the apples had been poisoned by Loki. Leif stays behind to allow Sigrid and the others to escape.
5	"The Scapegoat God"	Tim Divar & Andrew Tamandl	Peter Aperlo	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
In a flashback Odin sent Thor to capture Loki’s children; Jormungandr was thrown into the sea, Fenrir was chained for eternity and Hel banished to the underworld. Leif recalls the harsh last words he spoke to his father. They both awaken from their nightmares and Loki reveals the Vanir imprisoned Leif in the skull of Hoenir, an Aesir God half murdered by Odin whose broken mind overflows with madness. Sigrid and the others encounter the First Wolves. Realising Ulfr wears the skin of one of their pack they grant him a single favour of guiding them to Leif. Loki helps Leif escape the memory of murdering Egill’s father. Leif helps Loki escape the memory of allowing Jormungandr to seduce Thor and realises Loki has spent eternity as a scapegoat, a convenient God others blame for their sins. The Vanir follow Sigrid to Hoenir but are met in battle by every Jotun tribe sent by Egill to aid Sigrid. Sigrid beheads Hoenir, freeing Leif. Loki takes credit for the poisoned apples, but lies that he was ordered to do so by Odin. The Vanir, Jotun tribes and Sigrid’s group make a pact to wage war on Asgard.
6	"Now Hear Of..."	Dave Hartman & Andrew Tamandl	Eric Carrasco & Caitlin Parrish	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
The night before battle everyone takes mushrooms while sharing tales. An old storyteller tells of Fenja and Menja, Jotun sisters chained in a ship to grind salt for a greedy king. When the weight of the salt sank the ship they and the king drowned and forever after the oceans tasted of salt. A Jotun tells of the unnamed giant who built Asgards wall, wagering Odin Freya’s hand in marriage. To ensure he lost Loki transformed into a mare and seduced the builder’s stallion Svadilfari. The builder failed and was murdered by Thor. Egill tells of falling in love with a man named Odric. Odric’s brother challenged him and Egill slew him but lost Odric. Aile draws power from Ulfr via his confession of cannibalising a child. Sigrid tells Thyra of her youth not fitting in with her giant family, so she visited the lands of her human mother and met Leif. Having come to care for each other Egill and Aile make love. Sigrid and Leif seduce Thyra. Afterwards the old storyteller reveals himself to Sigrid as Odin and warns her that, like Menja and Fenja, revenge may cost her life.
7	"If I Had a Hammer"	Jay Oliva	Caitlin Parrish & Peter Aperlo	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Thor awakens from having seduced Sandraudiga just as Sigrid and her army approach. Sigrid uses giant magic to undermine Asgard’s wall. Loki plots to save his children from Ragnarok by ensuring Sigrid kills Thor. Sandraudiga ends the fighting so the Valkyrie can collect the dead for Valhalla, though they ignore the bodies of Sigrid’s army. Thor’s wife Sif suspects by taking the Goddess of Defeat as his lover Thor is secretly hoping to die. Thyra tells Sigrid and Leif she wants to be with them both. Sigrid and Leif make love but after Leif is asleep Sigrid leaves him behind so he will survive. Aile does the same with Egill and along with Hervor and Andvari they infiltrate Asgard’s wall. Aile leaves for her own mission while Freya leads the others to Thor, but he captures them. Loki helps them escape but Andvari attempts to get revenge on Loki for Fafnir, so Loki kills him. Leif asks Sigrid to leave with him. Sigrid refuses and ties her mistletoe wedding crown to her spear as a symbol of resolve. She then leaves, wounding Leif in the leg so he can’t follow and tells him to wed Thyra instead.
8	"Song of Sigrid"	Zack Snyder	Eric Carrasco	September 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Leif tells Thyra what Sigrid wanted for them, but Thyra admits it is only Sigrid she loves. During the next battle Thor kills Tiwaz. Aile offers Odin the All-Seeing-Eye Freya gave her mother. Egill infiltrates Asgard to find Aile. Odin is enraged when Aile kills his raven Memory, sacrificing his knowledge of the past for a glimpse of the future where the world has forgotten him. Unable to remember his past Odin kills Aile just as Egill arrives but her sacrifice resurrects her as a new Goddess with Odin’s Memory and Freya’s Foresight. Egill stays, hoping their love will grow again. Thor defeats Ulfr and fatally wounds Hervor. As she feared, the Valkyrie refuse her entry to Valhalla, though Hel assures Sigrid Hervor will find peace in Helheim. Thor demands Sigrid’s surrender, but Sigrid chooses to fight for a better future. Baldr saves Thor, but dies doing so as the mistletoe atop Sigrid’s spear was his one vulnerability. Thor is distraught at Baldr’s death and allows Freya to take him to Valhalla. Loki murders Sigrid and sends her to Valhalla after Thor while Leif is heartbroken. In Valhalla Thor tells her the Song of Sigrid is just beginning.

Production

Development

Twilight of the Gods was first conceived by Jay Oliva during an off-the-cuff phone call. John Derderian from Netflix called Oliva during a writer's summit for his previous Netflix animated series, Trese, to ask if Oliva knew anything about Norse mythology. Oliva came up with a story on the spot and pitched the idea to Derderian. Netflix loved the idea and contacted Oliva again to set it up, asking if Oliva would like to work with previous collaborator Zack Snyder, who was also already working with Netflix on a number of projects. The two developed the idea further, then brought on Eric Carrasco as head writer, who would eventually write the scripts with his writing team.

"Eric, Zack, and I would sit together and discuss the series as a whole. Eric would write out a breakdown summary of each episode based on what we all had agreed upon. Then, Zack and I would add our notes and then Eric would then hand it off to his writing team or write it himself." In 2019, Zack Snyder revealed he had plans for an animated series based on Norse mythology. Two years later, on June 10, 2021, during Netflix's Geeked Week event, the title was finally revealed to be Twilight of the Gods, and the cast list was revealed by Snyder and Rahul Kohli. Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbæk, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristofer Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan, and Corey Stoll and their roles were revealed.

On June 24, 2021, The Hollywood Reporter announced the formation of KRAKN Animation, which would be a new joint venture spearheaded by Jay Oliva and Louis-Simon Menard, the CEOs of Lex + Otis and Digital Dimension Entertainment Group, respectively. The new studio would create the animation for Twilight of the Gods. One of the writers of the show, Eric Carrasco, stated that the animation of the show would still take some time as of April 10, 2022, but that the impactful artistry would be worth the wait. Carrasco was later confirmed to be a producer for the series alongside the announcement that Xilam Animation was one of the studios behind the animation. During the Rebel Moon promotional tour, Zack and Deborah Snyder revealed that the series was set to be completed in the summer of 2024. They provided a basic synopsis for the first time since the series' announcement, confirmed the episode count (eight), and estimated a late-2024 release date.

In April 2024, director at Xilam Animation, Slimane Aniss posted that animation had been completed in March. He also confirmed that the series would utilize a 2D style. Later that month, Netflix revealed that they'd be presenting Twilight of the Gods at the French animation festival, Annecy, also revealing that the series would finally release in the fall. Annecy Festival took place June 9-15, 2024, while Twilight of the Gods was shown specifically on June 12. On April 26, 2024, Sherry Gunther Shugerman, a producer for the series, confirmed via LinkedIn that post production had been completed the day before and that the series would be releasing in September. In June 2024, it was announced by Collider that Jessica Henwick had joined the cast as Sandraudiga.

Casting

Alongside the series' announcement, Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbæk, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristofer Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan and Corey Stoll, were cast as the ensemble cast.

Music

In June 2024, it was revealed that Hans Zimmer would compose the series' music.

Release

Twilight of the Gods was released on Netflix on September 19, 2024.

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 71% approval rating with an average rating of 6.8/10, based on 14 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Twilight of the Gods delivers on the godly carnage it promises with vivid animation, although its commitment to Ragna-rocking all the time saps some of its emotional depth." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 63 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

External links

• Twilight of the Gods on Netflix
• Twilight of the Gods at IMDb