SEE THE WINTER KING ARTHURIAN TV SERIES TRAILER WITH IAIN DE CAESTECKER AND MGM PLUS AIR DATE!

 FIRST THE WINTER KING  

TRAILER FROM NEW SERIES  

MGM Plus has released first trailer from their upcoming TV series adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles and also some new character photos from the new show. THE WINTER KING will start August 20th on MGM Plus and it will also air later this year on ITVX in UK. In will also stream on Stan in Australia from August 21st!

  THE TEN PART SERIES
 is following Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader. It is set in the 5th century long before Britain was united. In a land ofwarring factions and tribes when the world was brutal and lives were often fleeting. Iain De Caestecker stars as a young Arthur, who begins as an exiled bastard before becoming the greatest hope for Britain. Stuart Campbell is Derfel who transforms from left-for-dead orphan to the truest of all warlords. Ellie James is Nimue a priestess saved by Merlin because she can see the gods - he gives her power, wisdom and learning. Eddie Marsan is Uther, High King of all Dumnonia, old and battle tested. He commands incredible authority, over almost all, bar Merlin. Nathaniel Martello-White is Merlin, a politician, powerful, enlightened, and absolute. Fearless in the face of a King’s wrath he follows his connectionto his Gods in all things. Daniel Ings is Owain one of Arthur’s closest childhood friends and like a son to High King Uther. Valene Kane is Morgan, Arthur’s half-sister and another bastard child of King Uther. She is asharp-tongued and independent minded pagan and student of Merlin. Simon Merrells is Gundleus, King of rival kingdom Siluria. Imposing and savage, Gundleus is prepared to slaughter whoever he needs to secure power.

1ST LOOK AT WINTER KING ARTHURIAN EPIC TV SERIES! 1ST IMAGES FROM PERIOD SET MOVIES THE CONVERT WITH GUY PEARCE, FRANZ KAFKA BIOPIC THE GLORY OF LIFE, WW2 ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES WITH LIEV SCHREIBER, JOSH HUTCHERSON

 FIRST THE WINTER KING  

IMAGES FROM NEW SERIES  

ITVX has released first images from their upcoming TV series adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles and I must admit they look cheap as hell and not very promising. THE WINTER KING will air later this year following Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader. It is set in the 5th century long before Britain was united. In a land ofwarring factions and tribes when the world was brutal and lives were often fleeting. Iain De Caestecker stars as a young Arthur, who begins as an exiled bastard before becoming the greatest hope for Britain. Stuart Campbell is Derfel who transforms from left-for-dead orphan to the truest of all warlords. Ellie James is Nimue a priestess saved by Merlin because she can see the gods - he gives her power, wisdom and learning. Eddie Marsan is Uther, High King of all Dumnonia, old and battle tested. He commands incredible authority, over almost all, bar Merlin. Nathaniel Martello-White is Merlin, a politician, powerful, enlightened, and absolute. Fearless in the face of a King’s wrath he follows his connectionto his Gods in all things. Daniel Ings is Owain one of Arthur’s closest childhood friends and like a son to High King Uther. Valene Kane is Morgan, Arthur’s half-sister and another bastard child of King Uther. She is asharp-tongued and independent minded pagan and student of Merlin. Simon Merrells is Gundleus, King of rival kingdom Siluria. Imposing and savage, Gundleus is prepared to slaughter whoever he needs to secure power. The series will air on MGM+ in USA.

 

  FIRST IMAGES FROM  

GUY PEARCE'S THE CONVERT

A bunch of first images from different period set movies for you today, starting with THE CONVERT, a historical drama from Oscar winner Lee Tamahori in which Guy Pearce plays  a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement at New Zealand in 1830s. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes.

THE GLORY OF LIFE

There is also Franz Kafka biopic, a story of the famous Czech writer which is being offered to buyers at Cannes. The love story between Kafka (Sabin Tambrea) and Dora Diamant (Henriette Confurius) is set in 1923 on the Baltic Sea coast, a year before the author died from tuberculosis. The worldly wise Diamant, who was working in a Jewish community, took him to Berlin, and as Kafka’s health deteriorates rapidly, they traveled together to a sanatorium in Austria. The memory of their time together will shape Diamant for the rest of her life!

ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES MOVIE ADAPTATION

There are also first images from the movie adaptation of Hemingway's ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES with Liev Schreiber, Josh Hutcherson and Matilda de Angelis scheduled for Fall. Set in post WW2 Venice Italy, American Army Col. Richard Cantwell, haunted by the war, is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell's plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a remarkable young woman begins to re kindle in him the hope of renewal.

HOLLYWOOD SPY'S GUIDE THROUGH ALL THE NEW PERIOD SET SHOWS OF 2023: FROM WILD WEST, 18TH CENTURY ENGLAND, 15TH CENTURY BELGRADE, PARIS, HAWAII AND TUDOR COURT TO IMPERIAL RUSSIA AND NAUTILUS

 2023 PERIOD SET SERIES 

THE ULTIMATE LIST IS HERE

Well, it is not especially ultimate as, unlike 2022 that gave us quite a lot of shows on queens and empresses, freshly launched 2023 looks rather bleak when it comes to our favourite period set genre. Out of the returning shows we

Django should start very soon on Sky

can expect new seasons of Valhalla, Wheel of Time, Serpent Queen, Sisi, Empress, Gilded Age, Domina and Sanditon, but here are the new ones: Sky should finally launch its wild west set adventure DJANGO starring Matthias Schoenaerts as the legendary gunslinger searching for his daughter. FX might finally bring us the new adaptation of SHOGUN sometime this year starring Cosmo Jarvis as the 17th century sailor who becomes a samurai. Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano also star. BBC will probably give us GALLOWS POLE set in the 18th century industrial revolution in Yorkshire, and possibly TEN POUND POMS with Michelle Keegan in which a group of Brits leave post-

A sneaky spy peek into Ten Pound Poms set

war Britain in 1956 to embark on an adventure in Australia. Amazon Prime Video has already set cast for MY LADY JANE which brings the history of the saddest queen of England ever - she ruled just a few weeks. Dominic Cooper stars.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ITV?

British channel ITV and their newly launched streamer ITVX are to bring us TOM JONES series which will also air on PBS Masterpiece this spring starring Solly McLeod as the titular hero of the four part picaresque

Tom Jones will have just four episodes this spring

story about young man's complicated journey to find real love in the 18th century England. We might also get to see Iain De Caestercker as King Arthur in THE WINTER KING in which a former warrior now turned monk, tells the story of how Arthur became the lord of war despite the illegitimacy of his throne.

2023 OFFER FROM NETFLIX

Netflix does not really have much in offer from the genre. February should bring us Italian series THE LAW ACCORDING TO LIDIA POET with Matilda de Angelis. Forbidden from practicing law, a woman prepares an appeal to overturn the court's decision in this true 19th century story of Lidia Poët, Italy's first female lawyer. Poe's THE FALL OF THE HOUSE

Lidia Poet will start this February on Netflix

OF USHER should also arrive to the streamer sometime this year starring Bruce Greenwood, Zach Gilford, Mark Hamil and Carla Gugino.

 

  FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Beside the new season of Catherine the Great series, this time titled VELIKAYA: THE GOLDEN AGE in which Liza Boyarska takes over the

Liza Boyarskaya is new Catherine the Great in Velikaya

role of the Russian empress in the later years of her rule,  we will also see Catherine the Great, this time played by Irina Pegova, in THE IMPERIAL

Irina Pegova is Catherine in The Imperial Vaccination

VACCINATION about the time when Catherine had to make her people accept the first flu vaccines by taking it first herself. That one will air on Russia 1 broadcaster sometime this year.

APPLE TO LEAD THE GENRE

Surprisingly enough, Apple TV Plus will probably dominate the genre this year. They have THE BUCCANEERS set in the 1870s when a bunch of rich American girls are trying to find a posh English husband during

First look at The Buccaneers TV series set

the London debutante season. They should also show us THE NEW LOOK in which Ben Mendelhson and Juliette Binoche play Dior and Coco Chanel in the story that explores the rise of fashion designer Christian Dior, as

Ben Mendehlson as Dior in The New Look

he dethrones Coco Chanel and helps return spirit and life to the world with his iconic imprint of beauty and influence. Hugo Becker, John Malkovich and

Masters of the Air continues Band of Brothers anthology

Emily Mortimer also star. It is possibly that we will also finally see MASTERS OF THE AIR which follows the American bombers during the

Jason Momoa will be Chief of War

WW2 with Callum Turner and Austen Butler in the lead roles. Jason Momoa is, meanwhile, bringing CHIEF OF WAR about the historical struggle for power on his islands of Hawaii. 

  WHAT IS DISNEY PREPARING

We are also not used to getting costume drama from Disney Plus, but this year they are bringing us THE BALLAD OF RENEGADE NELL about an 18th century female renegade who will cross paths with Queen Anne and play

Shazad Latif as captain Nemo in Nautilus

a role in the power struggles that were being played out over the European battlefields. We might also see Shazad Latif as Captain Nemo in

The Lions of Sicily first look at the sets

NAUTILUS epic TV seafaring adventure and also the adaptation of THE LIONS OF SICILY which follows the 19th century Florio family which turned a small shop in Sicily into a flourish business activity that became an

Balenciaga might be scraped due to the recent scandal

economic empire! Disney should also give us BALENCIAGA series about the famous Spanish designer and fashion legend it if hasn't been cancelled due to the recent scandal.

RISE OF THE RAVEN

Now, I am not sure this one will be done for airing this year, but it might: RISE OF THE RAVEN is this year's most expensive epic series from Central Europe done for Hungarian TV2, Austrian ORF and our dear Beta Film. Based on Bán Mór’s bestselling novels, the ten part series follows Hungarian warrior Janos Hunyadi, who defeated the Ottoman army in 1456 at the Battle of Belgrade, halting its march across Europe. Set among the scandals, political power plays and court intrigues of medieval Europe, the $30 million series is nevertheless a human story at heart, with Gellért L. Kádár playing Hunyadi, and Vivien Rujder as his life partner, Elizabeth Szilagyi. Laurence Rupp, Murathan Muslu and Rade Sherbedgia also star.

IAIN DE CAESTECKER TO LEAD NEW ARTHURIAN EPIC TV SERIES THE WINTER KING FOR ITVX! CHOCOLATE GETTING A NEW FRENCH TV SERIES VERSION!

  IAIN DE CAESTECKER   

TO LEAD THE WINTER KING EPIC TV SERIES AS KING ARTHUR

ITV's new streamer ITVX has announced cast for new epic TV series THE WINTER KING based on Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles! It will follow Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader. It is set in the 5th century long before Britain was united. In a land of

Iain de Caestecker is the new Arthur

warring factions and tribes when the world was brutal and lives were often fleeting. Featuring an exciting range of established names and new talent the cast includes: Iain De Caestecker stars as a young Arthur, who begins as an exiled bastard before becoming the greatest hope for Britain. Stuart Campbell is Derfel who transforms from left-for-dead orphan to the truest of all warlords. Ellie James is Nimue a priestess saved by Merlin because she can see the gods - he gives her power, wisdom and learning. Eddie Marsan is Uther, High King of all Dumnonia, old and battle tested. He commands incredible authority, over almost all, bar Merlin. Nathaniel Martello-White is Merlin, a politician, powerful, enlightened, and absolute. Fearless in the face of a King’s wrath he follows his connection

Stuart Campbell and Ellie James will star in the new series

to his Gods in all things. Daniel Ings is Owain one of Arthur’s closest childhood friends and like a son to High King Uther. Valene Kane is Morgan, Arthur’s half-sister and another bastard child of King Uther. She is a

Simon Merrells and Daniel Ings will also star in the series

sharp-tongued and independent minded pagan and student of Merlin. Simon Merrells is Gundleus, King of rival kingdom Siluria. Imposing and savage, Gundleus is prepared to slaughter whoever he needs to secure power.

   CHOCOLAT BECOMING  

A NEW FRENCH TV SERIES

It will be a French language series

After the 2000 movie adaptation, Joanne Harris's international bestseller CHOCOLAT will get a French TV series version as well from Miramax TV and Atlantique productions. The series, that will use both the books from Joanne's series and the film as its source material, will follow a woman and her daughter who settle down in a small town in modern-day France and disrupt the community’s social balance when they open a chocolate shop. Bill Block and Pierre-Antoine Capton will executive produce. And in other French series news, BBC Two will air Marie Antoinette during the holidays, while Foxtel is already streaming it down in Australia, with PBS releasing it in USA next March. PBS has also renewed Miss Scarlet and the Duke for fourth season today and it is already shooting over in Serbia!

NETFLIX ORDERS THE DECAMERON 14TH CENTURY SERIES BASED ON BOCCACCIO'S WORK! BERNARD CORNWELL'S THE WINTER KING WARLORD CHRONICLES TV SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

 THE DECAMERON SERIES 

ORDERED AT NETFLIX

Netflix has ordered an eight episode series from Jenji Kohan and Kathleen Jordan loosely based on Boccaccio's THE DECAMERON! Set in 1348 when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history which killed as many as 200 million people, strikes hard in the city of Florence. A handful of nobles are invited to retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the Italian countryside and wait out the pestilence with a lavish holiday. But as social rules wear thin, what starts as a wine-soaked sex romp in the hills of Tuscany descends into an all out scramble for survival. The series examines the timely themes of class systems, power struggles and survival in a time of pandemic with a touch of levity, brought together by a charming and riotous ensemble of characters.

 WARLORD CHRONICLES 

SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

Back in April I told you that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles will be turned into a series and now we know it will be over at ITV's streamer ITVX. First book THE WINTER KING will be turned into a ten episode saga loosely based on the legend of King Arthur. Set in 5th century Britain, then still a landscape of warring nations, the story takes place in an era when life was brutal and fleeting. In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. With Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore adapting the books and Otto Bathurst directing, the shooting will start later this year. Epix is apparently no longer involved in the project, but the series will also air later on at regular ITV.

OTTO BATHURST TURNING BERNARD CORNWELL'S THE WINTER KING INTO ARTHURIAN EPIC TV SERIES. DEADLINE THRILLER SERIES STARTS TONIGHT WITH JAMES D'ARCY, CHARLIE MURPHY. SEA OF TRANQUILITY SF SERIES AT HBO

 WARLORD CHRONICLES 

TO BECOME EPIC TV SERIES

If you are wondering what on Earth will we watch after The Last Kingdom, don't worry as new medieval fun is coming up soon. As Variety reports,

The series is done by Sony Television

WARLORD CHRONICLES from Bernard Cornwell will be adapted by Bad Wolf into a ten episode THE WINTER KING series. The series, which will begin shooting this year in UK, presents a revisionist take on the Arthurian legends, circling around Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast son to legendary warrior and leader. The books are set in the 5th century, long before Britain was united, in a land of warring factions and tribes when the world was brutal and lives were often fleeting. Halo's Otto Bathurst is coproducing and directing as well. The series, originally announced at Epix, is envisioned as having more seasons. 

  SEA OF TRANQUILITY  

TO GET TV ADAPTATION 

Television adaptation also awaits Emily St. John Mandel's novel SEA OF TRANQUILITY, whose Station Eleven you are currently

The book is out on your spy's birthday

watching on HBO, also for HBO Max. Out April 12th, it is a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon three hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space. When Gaspery Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe.

 

  DEADLINE TV SERIES  

READY TO START TONIGHT

Starting from tonight, Tuesday April 5th, British Channel 5 will air their new thriller mini series DEADLINE in four consecutive nights. It follows elusive widow Natalie Varga (Charlie Murphy) who stands accused of murdering her husband in cold blood and the court of public opinion has already decided she’s guilty as charged. But Natalie is a difficult woman to get a handle on as she’s perfected the art of adapting to her surroundings. After surviving a traumatic childhood, Natalie studied at Cambridge University and having escaped her roots she’s become adept at switching from warm to aloof and from relatable to untouchable. James Aiden (James D’Arcy) is an investigative journalist with one serious black mark on his career copybook already. He’s now looking for redemption and decides to interview Natalie for his documentary. However he soon falls for the very femme fatale he’s supposed to be profiling and loses his grip on reality. Can James unravel fact from fiction or will his own feelings prove to be the barrier to the truth?

EPIX TO MAKE EPIC TV SERIES OUT OF BERNARD CORNWELL'S ARTHURIAN SAGA THE WINTER KING AND A COLUMN OF FIRE SEQUEL TO KEN FOLLETT'S PILLARS OF THE EARTH AND WORLD WITHOUT END

   EPIX TO MAKE EPIC SERIES

OUT OF THE WINTER KING AND A COLUMN OF FIRE NOVELS

Epix has announced a number of new projects that they will be developing in the future and among them is TV series adaptation of A COLUMN OF FIRE Elizabethan Era set novel from Ken Follett which follows his previous

Bad Wolf is producing The Winter King

two epic adaptations The Pillars of the World and World Without End, and also a TV series adaptation of THE WINTER KING Arthurian novels from another great epic writer Bernard Cornwell on whose works The Last Kingdom saga is based on.

Bad Wolf will produce the adaptation of Cornwell's trilogy of novels The Warlord Chronicles which consist of three books set in Arthurian Britain mixing history and legends THE WINTER KING, Enemy Of God and Excalibur. The protagonist of the series is Derfel Cadarn, a Saxon brought up as a Briton by Merlin, the greatest of all Druids. In the course of the story, he becomes a

A Column of Fire will be produced by Snowed In

great warrior and one of Arthur's warlords in his war against the Saxons. Derfel is one of Arthur's closest advisers and friends.

Meanwhile, A COLUMN OF FIRE from Ken Follett follows the romance between Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald beginning in 1558 and spanning half a century of political intrigue and turmoil as well as the political intrigue of the royal courts of England, France, and Scotland, and the oft-times violent conflict between supporters of the Catholic Church and the rising Protestant movement in the late 16th century. Unlike the two previous novels in this series, a large portion of the plot takes place outside the town of Kingsbridge, utilizing such far-flung settings as Paris, Seville, Geneva, Antwerp, and the Caribbean, and involving many major characters who have no direct connection with the town.