One of the greatest action movies of the decade so far is on TV tonight

It has a strong Irish connection

Co-written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch, Nosferatu), this Viking epic is based on Norse and Scandinavian legend and is set at the turn of the 10th century in Iceland.

Starring an absolutely ripped Alexander Skarsgård, he plays Amleth – who as a boy watched his king father (Ethan Hawke) be murdered by another family member (Claes Bang).

Narrowly escaping assassins, the young prince fled from home and grew up to become a vicious Viking warrior.

Following an encounter with a mysterious prophet (Bjork), the now-adult Amleth sets out to fulfil his oath to avenge his father – with the help of a female slave (Anya-Taylor Joy).

Released in 2022, The Northman’s stellar cast also includes Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe and Irish actress Olwen Fouéré.

And that’s not the movie’s only connection to the Emerald Isle, as it was mostly shot in Northern Ireland.

Holding an impressive 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, The Northman earned particular praise for its hard-hitting action set-pieces, its ferocious lead turn from Skarsgård, as well as the immersive and primal ways Eggers captured the tone of Norse mythology for the big screen.

The Northman is airing on Channel 4 tonight at 10.10pm. It should also be available to stream on the broadcaster's website after it airs.

You can check out JOE’s interview with Skarsgård and Taylor-Joy for the film right here:

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - ITV1 - 5pm

The 2018 sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Johnny Depp's titular dark wizard gets his big moment.

Star Trek - E4 - 6.35pm

JJ Abrams reboots a classic sci-fi institution with blockbusting panache.

I, Robot - Film 4 - 6.45pm

You're always likely to find this timely Will Smith gem on some channel or other.

First Blood - ITV4 - 10.35pm

Sly Stallone's first-ever outing as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo - an absolute weapon of a man Brian Dennehy's policeman regrets messing with.

X - Film 4 - 11.05pm

The most stylish slasher of the last 10 years starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega and Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi.