The Native Americans the Vikings encounter historically were the Beothuk people of Newfoundland in Canada. There is a large historical site around the Viking settlements in Newfoundland for tourists to visit.
Actors wore hockey shoulder pads underneath their viking costume to make them appear larger and fiercer.
The film is based on the Norwegian movie Pathfinder (1987). After watching, Nils Gaup, director of the original, said: "Twice Hollywood has remade my films, and both times they have managed to make the worst movie ever." The other of his films Hollywood remade was Head Above Water (1996).
In order to secure an R rating for the film, Marcus Nispel was forced to cut 8 minutes of footage that contained a bit more plot development, more gore, and a sex scene between Ghost and Starfire. These scenes were restored for the unrated version on DVD and Blu-ray.
For a single day during filming, actor Jack Black filled in for an Indian extra as part of a dare by actor and close friend Karl Urban.