The History Channel has announced that Vikings series 6 will mark the end of the hugely popular drama, as well as noting that a potential spinoff series could follow. There’s good news and bad news, then, basically.

The trade publication Deadline Hollywood broke the news, offering this explanation for Vikings being cancelled:

“Vikings originally set out to follow the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok [Travis Fimme]  and tell the sagas of Ragnar’s band of Viking brothers and his family. Because it was based on actual historical figures and events, Vikings had a finite number of stories to tell, and had been building towards an end, set by [creator Michael] Hirst as the creative mastermind behind the series.”

Deadline’s report also mentioned that Hirst is “looking to extend the Vikings franchise with a new series” with some help from Jeb Stuart (writer of Die Hard, The Fugitive and more).

Launching a companion show spinoff after a popular series has finished seems to be becoming a trend, with Better Call Saul blazing a trail that Game Of Thrones is set to follow (with its spinoff The Long Night) and Vikings is seemingly hoping to emulate.

As we hear more about the Vikings spinoff series project, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.