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[Edmond Dantès]

Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands

About:

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has confirmed a commission for an epic re-imagining of Beowulf, one of the earliest works of English Literature. The 13-part drama, to be produced by ITV Studios (ITVS), is set in the mythical Shieldlands, a dangerous place populated by humans and fantastical creatures.

The first episode sees Beowulf return to Herot after many years as a mercenary warrior to pay his respects to the recently deceased Thane Hrothgar – the man who raised him. But when Herot is attacked by the terrifying monster Grendl, Beowulf has no choice but to hunt it down.

The series is created by James Dormer, ITVS’ creative director of drama Tim Haines and ITVS’ exec producer of drama Katie Newman. All three will exec produce with Dormer writing. Beowulf has been commissioned for ITV by director of drama Steve November and controller of drama Victoria Fea. Filming will begin in the north east of England in April 2015, but there are no casting details presently.

It marks the latest mythical-fantastical drama commission from ITV following orders for Jekyll & Hyde, a 10-part adventure drama based on novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and The Frankenstein Chronicles starring Sean Bean as a police inspector who pursues Dr Frankenstein’s infamous creation across 19th century London.

Casting news:

Joe Sims, Lee Boardman, David Bradley, Ace Bhatti and Gregory Fitoussi have joined an impressive international cast as ITV’s epic drama, Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, continues to film on location in the North East.

The actors will join Kieran Bew, who leads a remarkable cast as one of literature’s greatest and most enduring heroes, Beowulf.

Created by James Dormer, Tim Haines and Katie Newman, this action-packed 13 part drama series, produced by Stephen Smallwood for ITV Studios, is set in the mythical Shieldlands, a place of spectacle and danger populated by both humans and fantastical creatures.

Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands is a series about courage, greed, betrayal, revenge, loyalty, power, man versus wilderness and, of course love. It is a series that explores the notion of good and evil, heroes and villains. However, beyond these wider political undercurrents and inner personal turmoils are the excitement, danger and sense of adventure that any great Western has. Epic fights, thrilling chases, raids, celebrations and battles are an essential part of the promise.

Rest of the press release

Further similar TV dramas:

New set of historical dramas turn the clock back from the Tudors to Saxon warlords, Beowulf and even a Welsh Braveheart.

The runaway success of HBO’s Game of Thrones – as well as the BBC’s Wolf Hall and Showtime’s hit series The Tudors – is encouraging the BBC and ITV to look back even further in British history for a lavish new set of dramas starring heroic but flawed heroes alongside plenty of gore and pillage.

October sees the start of The Last Kingdom on BBC2, produced by the makers of Downton Abbey. It’s a battle-packed ninth-century story of struggles between the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, with Alfred the Great saving Wessex and, ultimately, English society. “It caught my imagination,” said the executive producer, Gareth Neame of Carnival Films.

ITV, meanwhile, is completing Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, showing in January, a 13-part epic loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon poem – elegantly translated into modern English in 2000 by Seamus Heaney – complete with computer-generated dragons and monsters, including Grendel and his mother. Tim Haines, ITV drama creative director and executive producer, said: “I think it is another type of period drama. It has become a form of adult escapism.”

It doesn’t stop there. American cable broadcaster FX Networks, known for spicy drama, is filming The Bastard Executioner, a grim 14th-century tale of rebellion by the Marcher earls who guarded the Anglo-Welsh border. Some see it as a Welsh version of Braveheart, and an opening line declares: “There’s nothing more dangerous than a Welshman who has nothing to lose.” Locations include Caerphilly castle and Snowdon.

The Last Kingdom’s £10m, eight-part adaptation for BBC2 and BBC America – it begins there on 10 October – is faithfully based on the first of eight Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories by novelist Bernard Cornwell published in 2004. Cornwell is the author of the Richard Sharpe novels set during the Napoleonic wars, which were turned into a TV drama series starring Sean Bean.

Over at ITV, an estimated £17m is being plunged into Beowulf, which would make it the most expensive drama series the channel has ever made. ITV has recreated an Anglo-Saxon timber village with the massive mead hall, Heorot, on a bleak hill 2,000ft up in Co Durham. ITV has a five-year lease on the site: if the audience approves, four more series are planned.

Continued

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Was interested until I read ITV. Yuck.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

They should film it in Old English and subtitle it.

 

[Currygan]

oNot sure how far they can stretch Beowulf/Grendel's rivalry, but as long as there are dragons involved i could give it a watch

 

[Kyoufu]

Was interested until I read ITV. Yuck.

Came here to say the same thing.

HBO should have done this.

 

[Iadien]

I'll check it out for sure.

 

[DOWN]

I want this but I want it backed by American tv money. Sky high production values are a must for tv fantasy tbh

 

[WillyFive]

The music certainly ain't going to beat Alan Silvestri's score from the Zemeckis movie.

 

[Beefy]

It's bad! The low budget look kills it, the acting is wooden and boring. ITV kill yet another series.

 

[biggersmaller]

I know it's not totally applicable, but it made me think of this and laugh, regardless.

 

[DragonSworne]

Stop, Beowulf is not that interesting of a story.

 

[Beefy]

Stop, Beowulf is not that interesting of a story.

Could have been if they spent more then a quid on cgi. Then another couple 100 pounds on better actors.

 

[TheGreatDirector]

Has there ever been a well done Gilgamesh adaptation?

 

[Beefy]

Has there ever been a well done Gilgamesh adaptation?

It's ITV. They have more misses then hits.

 

[Harry Stewart]

The music certainly ain't going to beat Alan Silvestri's score from the Zemeckis movie.

Fuck yes. That whole movie is so underrated.

 

[rocketskates]

OMG at the opening theme.


So not trying to be GoT.

 

[Wag]

I know it's not totally applicable, but it made me think of this and laugh, regardless.

Not so far fetched, remember this?

 

[Monocle]

My interest is entirely conditioned on the presence of hunks. So far I see no hunks on that cast list.