History’s Latest Drama Premieres Today!
by Bryan Scheidler
If the success of shows like Game of Thrones and Vikings hasn’t already proven it, people love brutal period pieces. Knightfall is the latest show to throw its hat into the ring and it comes out swinging. I was able to preview the first few episodes and this show does not disappoint. Great acting, a compelling story, brutal action sequences and a production quality that rivals that little show on HBO, Knightfall promises to be a great show. Check out the trailer below, and then listen to the round table interview with the star of the show Tom Cullen.
HISTORY’s newdrama series “Knightfall,”makes its series debut on Wednesday, December 6at10 PMET/PT. From A+E Studios in association with Jeremy Renner’s The Combine, Island Pictures and Midnight Radio, the ten episode season takes viewers inside the medieval politics and warfare of the Knights Templar, the most powerful, wealthy and mysterious military order of the Middle Ages who were entrusted with protecting Christianity’s most precious relics.
“Knightfall” begins after the fall of the city of Acre, the Templar’s last stronghold in the Holy Land, where the Holy Grail is lost. Years later, a clue emerges suggesting the whereabouts of the Grail and sends the Templars, led by the noble, courageous and headstrong Templar Knight Landry (Tom Cullen, “Downton Abbey,”“Gunpowder”),on a life or death mission to find the lost Cup of Christ. From their battles in the Holy Land, to their clash with the King of France, to the dark events leading to the demise of the Templar Order on Friday the 13th, 1307 —a date which became synonymous with bad luck—the story of the Knights Templar has never been fully told until now. Focusing on themes such as belief, sacrifice, politics, love, powerand revenge–“Knightfall” goes deep into the clandestine world of this legendary brotherhood of warrior monks to find out who these knights were, howthey lived, and what they died believing.
In addition to Cullen, the drama series also stars Pádraic Delaney(The Wind That Shakes the Barley, “The Tudors”) as Gawain, once the greatest swordsman of the Templar Order who was crippled at Acre, and Simon Merrells (“Spartacus”,“Dominion”) as Tancredo, a steadfast, brave, and resolute knight who venerates his Templar vows above all else.
“Knightfall’s”cast is replete with historical figures, representing the most powerful forces in Medieval Europe. Completing the cast is Jim Carter(“Downton Abbey”) asPope Boniface VIII, the Holy Leader of the Templar Knights and a stabilizing, incorruptible force within a chaoticmedieval world; Olivia Ross(“War and Peace”) as Queen Joan of Navarre,wife to King Philip IV of Franceanda powerful Queen in her own right;a devoted mother, formidable diplomat and keen strategist;Ed Stoppard(“The Crown”) as King Philip IV of France,the most powerful monarch in Europewho seeks to consolidate his power with the help of his Machiavellian right-hand man and pragmatic lawyer, William De Nogaret, played by Julian Ovenden (“Downton Abbey”);and Sabrina Bartlett(“DaVinci’s Demons”) as Princess Isabella, Queen Joan and King Philip’s daughter who would come to dominate the Kingdom of England as the She-Wolf of France.
“Knightfall” also stars Bobby Schofield(Black Sea, Our World War)as Parsifal; a young peasant farmer who seeks to become a part of the Templar Order;andSarah-Sofie Boussnina(The Bridge, The Absent One)as Adelina, a Jewish refugee from the Holy Land who finds herself the victim of new persecution in Paris.
“Knightfall” joins HISTORY’s original scripted roster, which includes anchor hit series “Vikings,” renewed for a 20 episode sixth season; military drama “SIX,”currently in production on season two;and the recently announced series “Blue Book,” executive produced by Academy Award and Golden Globe®winner Robert Zemeckis, and “The Breach: Inside The Impeachment of Bill Clinton” from Emmy®Award winning producer R.J. Cutler.
“Knightfall” is an A+E Studios production in association with The Combine, Island Picturesand Midnight Radio. Don Handfield (Touchback, The Founder, Kill the Messenger) and Richard Rayner (L.A. Without A Map) serve as creators and executive producers for TheCombine, with Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominee Jeremy Renner (American Hustle, The Hurt Locker) also serving as executive producer. Island Pictures’Dominic Minghella (Doc Martin, Robin Hood) is executive producer and showrunner. Executive producers for Midnight Radio areJeff Pinkner (Lost, Fringe), Andre Nemec (Alias, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol), Josh Applebaum (Alias, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) and Scott Rosenberg (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Beautiful Girls). Barry Jossen and Douglas Mackinnon serve as executive producers. Arturo Interian is the executive in charge of production for HISTORY. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for “Knightfall.”
