The Last Kingdom (TV-series)

The Last Kingdom
Genre Historical Fiction
Starring Alexander Dreymon
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of episodes 8
Production
Executive producer(s) Gareth Neame
Nigel Marchant
Producer(s) Chrissy Skinns
Running time 60 minutes
Production company(s) Company Pictures
Broadcast
Original channel BBC Two (UK)
BBC America (US)

The Last Kingdom is an forthcoming television adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of historical novels by BAFTA nominated and RTS award-winning writer Stephen Butchard (Good Cop, Five Daughters, House Of Saddam) .[1]

Overview

Set in the late ninth century, when what is known as England today was several separate kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxon lands are attacked and in many instances ruled by Viking forces. The kingdom of Wessex has been left standing alone under the command of King Alfred the Great. The main protagonist, Uhtred - the orphaned son of a Saxon nobleman, is kidnapped by norsemen and raised as one of them. Forced to choose between a kingdom that shares his ancestry and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested.[2]

Main cast

Production

The series started shooting in November 2014,[8] and is produced by Carnival Films (Downton Abbey, Whitechapel) for BBC Two and BBC America. Filming is taking place in Hungary and the United Kingdom.

Nick Murphy (Prey, Occupation) is co-executive producing and directing multiple episodes [9]

Scandinavian actor Mikael Persbrandt (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Academy Award winner In a Better World) was offered the role of Earl Ragnar the Fearless, but he had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts with his stage performance of The Dance of Death.[10]

References