According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) is set to play William The Conqueror in King and Conqueror. The show comes from BBC and CBS, written by Rober Johnson (Sherlock Holmes) and directed by Baltasar Kormákur (Everest) for the premiere. It is a historical drama.
The Hollywood Reporter summarized the upcoming series, saying that it “is the story of a clash that defined the future of a country — and a continent — for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea. Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the British throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown.”
The series will also feature James Norton (Happy Valley) as co-lead along with Coster-Waldau. Norton plays Harold, Earl of Wessex. He also serves as executive producer with his company Rabbit Track Pictures. Coster-Waldau will also serve as an executive producer. The Hollywood Reporter reported that they will also produce alongside Kormákur for RVK Studios, Robert Taylor for The Development Partnership, Dave Clarke and Richard Halliwell for Shepherd Content, Ed Clarke, Robert Jones and CBS Studios’ Lindsey Martin.
Lindsey Martin expressed her excitement for the project, claiming that, “We are thrilled to partner with James, Nikolaj, Baltasar and the entire creative team on King and Conqueror, a truly groundbreaking series with world-class talent and global reach,” says The Hollywood Reporter. She added on, “Michael’s scripts offer a bold and fresh take on a story that has endured for nearly 1,000 years, and yet, the themes are as contemporary and relevant as ever. We are incredibly proud of what the team has achieved so far and can’t wait to see it all come to fruition on screen with our star-studded cast.”
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the series is set to begin production in 2024.