If you thought Rollo was gone for good in Vikings, think again. According to Clive Standen, the door is still wide open for a return — and he’s got a killer idea for how to make it happen. In a recent conversation with Collider’s Therese Lacson at the International Global Series Festival, Standen not only reminded us that “Rollo never died on screen!” but pitched an entire spin-off series based on the historical legacy of his character. Standen, ever the champion of untapped Vikings lore, has been actively imagining where the story could go next — and he wants to go way back, to the seeds of what would eventually become the Norman dynasty.
“I’ve been championing, when we talk about spin-off shows and things like that. I just think he’d be the nice way into… The series I’d like to see Michael [Hirst] write, or anyone who can write about Vikings, is Vikings: The Norman Conquests. Because William the Conqueror is one of my most fascinating characters in history, and he was the great-great-grandson of Rollo.”
Standen sees Rollo’s off-screen fate not as an ending, but as an opportunity. After all, when Rollo last appeared, Ragnar was still alive — retreating from the spotlight for over a decade. That timeline gap is, in his eyes, perfect for a little creative license. He told Collider:
“What I think is interesting is when Rollo left the show, Ragnar was still alive. So if you went back in time, and you had the first season of this Vikings: Norman Conquests — because remember, Ragnar went up that hill for 15 years and then come down until his sons are grown. So, what did he do all that time? Maybe he went over to France, and they continued their feud, and maybe he kind of put a nail in it. And Bjorn finding out that Rollo is his father. I’m sure maybe he went back over. So it’s a way into a show.”
And he doesn’t stop there. Standen envisions a series that uses Rollo as a launchpad — but quickly becomes a generational saga. “Maybe in Season 1, Rollo dies, and you hand over to William Longsword, who’s his son,” he said. “And then by the end of Season 2, you’ve got the William the Conqueror show. And it’s a fascinating part of history, and it all started from the Vikings.”
Clive Standen Wants to Reunite with Travis Fimmel
Of course, Lacson suggested Standen could pitch it directly to Vikings creator Michael Hirst himself — something the actor laughed off with some sly sarcasm. “Maybe now, after doing this jury, Michael would be like, ‘Hey, I want you to be in the Rollo spin-off show.’ And I’m like, I don’t do spin-offs anymore. I’m just interested in real original foreign dramas,” he laughed. Still, it’s clear the idea hasn’t left his mind entirely. Asked about a potential reunion with Vikings co-star Travis Fimmel, Standen smiled and said:
“I think so too. Well, then we can talk with Travis to coming back and guest on it. That would be the dream, I’d love to work with Travis again.”
Whether it’s serious speculation or just wishful thinking, the pitch makes sense. Rollo’s historical legacy extends far beyond his final moments in Vikings, and William the Conqueror’s rise is one of the most consequential stories in European history. A Vikings: The Norman Conquests series could bridge mythology with monarchy, adding a new layer to the franchise while exploring a completely different world of conflict and ambition. And hey — Rollo never died on screen. So anything’s possible.
Vikings is currently streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned at Collider for more.
