or


[03/31/23 - 07:01 AM]
Arthur Hughes, Sean Bean and Anthony Boyle to Star in New Disney+ Tudor Murder Mystery Series "Shardlake"
Drenched in mystery, suspense and deception, this four-part drama, based on the first novel in Sansom's series, is an eerie whodunnit adventure, set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries.

[via press release from Disney+]

ARTHUR HUGHES, SEAN BEAN AND ANTHONY BOYLE TO STAR IN NEW DISNEY+ TUDOR MURDER MYSTERY SERIES "SHARDLAKE"

The Original series is based on the best-selling novels by British author C.J. SansomWritten by Stephen Butchard and produced by The Forge and Runaway Fridge

LONDON, UK (31 March 2023) Disney+ has today announced a thrilling new series based on the internationally popular Tudor murder mystery novels by C.J. Sansom, Shardlake.

Arthur Hughes ("The Innocents'', "Then Barbara Met Alan") has been cast as Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer with an acute sense of justice and one of the few honest men in a world beset with scheming and plots. Shardlake works for Thomas Cromwell, played by Sean Bean ("Time", "Game of Thrones"), the dangerous and all-powerful right-hand man to Henry VIII. Despite Shardlake's unwavering loyalty to Cromwell and the Crown, his position in society is unfavoured due to his appearance, as a person living with scoliosis during the Tudor period, suffering the indignity of being abused as a "crookback" wherever he turns.

Anthony Boyle ("Masters of the Air", "Tetris") also joins the cast as Jack Barak alongside Babou Ceesay ("Wolfe", "Damilola") as Abbot Fabian, Paul Kaye ("The Stranger", "Game of Thrones") as Brother Jerome and Ruby Ashbourne Serkis ("The Greatest Beer Run Ever", "Becoming Elizabeth") as Alice.

Drenched in mystery, suspense and deception, this four-part drama, based on the first novel in Sansom's series, is an eerie whodunnit adventure, set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries. Shardlake's sheltered life as a lawyer is turned upside down when Cromwell instructs him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea. The commissioner was gathering evidence to close the monastery and it is now imperative for Cromwell's own political survival that Shardlake both solves the murder and closes the monastery. He leaves Shardlake in no doubt that failure is not an option. Cromwell insists that he is accompanied by cocky, good-looking Jack Barak (Boyle) and Shardlake is left unsure whether Barak is an assistant, or Cromwell's spy. At Scarnsea, the duo are met with hostility, suspicion and paranoia by the monks who fear for their future and will seemingly stop at nothing to preserve their order.

Rounding out the cast is Peter Firth as Norfolk, Matthew Steer as Goodhap, Brian Vernel as Brother Mortimus, Irfan Shamji as Brother Guy, David Pearse as Brother Edwig, Miles Barrow as Brother Gabriel, Mike Noble as Bugge and Kimberley Nixon as Joan.

Shardlake is written by Stephen Butchard ("Baghdad Central", "The Last Kingdom"). The series is executive produced by George Ormond and Mark Pybus for The Forge, Stevie Lee for Runaway Fridge, and Lee Mason for Disney+ EMEA. Justin Chadwick ("The Other Boleyn Girl") is on board to direct the series with John Griffin as producer.

Lee Mason, Director, Scripted Content, Disney+ comments "C.J. Sansom's novels have captivated millions of readers across the globe, and we're thrilled to be joining forces with The Forge and Runaway Fridge, introducing the exceptional Arthur Hughes as Matthew Shardlake to fans and new audiences alike. Stephen and Justin's vision for this chilling tale of murder, mystery and politics promises to thrill and delight, and joins a growing catalogue of unmissable original drama for adults on the service."

Stephen Butchard, Writer, adds "Writing Shardlake has been nothing short of a joy. C.J. Sansom's novels are incredibly rich in story, character and history; full of intrigue, excitement, cruelty and compassion - and at the centre of it all is Matthew Shardlake, a hero like no other. Although these stories are set in Tudor England, the themes absolutely engage and resonate with today's world. Hundreds of years may have past - but humankind and what makes us tick has changed little."

Production has started with filming taking place in Hungary, Austria and Romania.

Disney+ is available for £7.99 per month - with no hidden costs and the ability to cancel anytime. There's something for everyone to watch, adding new TV series, blockbuster movies and exclusive originals throughout the year from our six key brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star. British and Irish comedy with a fresh spin on superpowers "Extraordinary" is the newest Disney+ UK Original series to launch on the platform, following rom-com action thriller "Wedding Season" and docu-series "Save Our Squad with David Beckham", available to stream now.

ENDS

Twitter: @DisneyPlusUK Instagram: @DisneyPlusUK Facebook: @DisneyPlusUK

NOTES TO EDITORS

Shardlake acknowledges the support from the Hungarian Film Incentive and FISAplus (Film Industry Support Austria) and was supported by the National Film Institute Hungary and FILM in AUSTRIA - The National Film Commission.

About Disney+

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ offers an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney's long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About The Forge

The Forge is a UK based independent drama production company with an unrivalled reputation for high quality, ambitious and influential TV drama, working in collaboration with the UK's leading and emerging creative talent. The company has produced a wide range of award-winning dramas including Jack Thorne's National Treasure starring Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters, Help starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, David Hare's Collateral and Roadkill, starring Carey Mulligan and Hugh Laurie respectively, and Anya Reiss's Becoming Elizabeth for Starz in the US. The Forge is currently in post-production with an eight-part series order for AppleTV+, inspired by Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers, created by Katherine Jakeways and starring Christina Hendricks, Kristine Froseth and Alisha Boe.

About Runaway Fridge

RUNAWAY FRIDGE PRODUCTIONS' previous credits include THE REASON I JUMP (2020 : D: Jerry Rothwell. Sundance Audience Award 2021, BIFA Best Documentary 2021, Grierson Best Single Documentary 2022), FRANK (2015 : D: Lenny Abrahamson T: Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson) and THE DOG THROWER (2016 : D: Jon Ronson T: Matthew Perry, Tim Key).





  [march 2023]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHARDLAKE (HULU)





[11/22/24 - 10:15 AM]
Apple's Drama "Your Friends & Neighbors" Lands Early Season Two Renewal
Starring and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Jon Hamm, "Your Friends & Neighbors" will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 11 with two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly through Friday, May 30.

[11/22/24 - 09:01 AM]
Apple Original Films' "Fly Me to the Moon" to Premiere December 6, 2024
Since its debut in theaters worldwide, the film has received the Verified Hot certification on Rotten Tomatoes by fans.

[11/22/24 - 08:03 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Blumhouse's "Speak No Evil" Beginning December 6
The psychological horror thriller stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Scoot McNairy, and more!

[11/22/24 - 07:35 AM]
2024 "Emirates NBA Cup" Championship Game Exclusively on ABC and ESPN+ December 17
In addition, ESPN platforms will exclusively present a semifinal game and a quarterfinal game as part of its 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round coverage.

[11/22/24 - 07:12 AM]
Peacock and Sky's Original Hit Drama Series "The Day of the Jackal" Scores Second Season Renewal
In the US it ranked #1 on Peacock's Top 10 TV Shows on its platform and was a Top 5 streaming original in the US for its opening weekend (according to preliminary Nielsen data).

[11/22/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Chef's Table" Volume 7 - Official Teaser - Netflix
Meet five world-class chefs who redefine culinary boundaries with delicious, innovative dishes honoring their diverse cultures and personal philosophies.

[11/22/24 - 05:41 AM]
"They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" Set for January 2025 on ESPN
Airing on Friday nights/early Saturday mornings, the new personality-driven, one-hour program will take its inspiration from traditional late-night television, emphasizing a comedic approach throughout all five scheduled episodes which run in conjunction with the finale of the NFL regular season and playoffs.

[11/22/24 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Ad Vitam" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After escaping an attempted murder, Franck Lazarev (Guillaume Canet) must find his wife Léo, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious group of armed men.

[11/21/24 - 04:01 PM]
"Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die" Premieres December 10: A Battle for Supremacy Begins
In the shadows of Korea's rugby world, seven teams engage in a fierce battle of strength, strategy, and teamwork - all vying to be crowned champion.

[11/21/24 - 04:00 PM]
ABC Presents a Two-Night Special Event To Commemorate the Diamond Anniversary of "Mary Poppins"
First, "The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20," a two-hour special from ABC News Studios chock full of rarely seen footage, photos and stories from the film's living legends, airs Wednesday, November 27 on ABC and streams next day on Hulu and Disney+.

[11/21/24 - 01:32 PM]
2024 International Emmy Nominees on Hulu
Check out these Emmy-worthy international series streaming on Hulu.

[11/21/24 - 01:12 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Semifinals Is Top Program of the Night in Adults 18-49 and All Key Women Demographics
The spectacular season 33 penultimate episode grew over the previous week's 500th episode celebration in both Total Viewers (5.19 million vs. 5.13 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.75 rating vs. 0.71 rating), hitting a season high in Total Viewers.

[11/21/24 - 01:05 PM]
NBC Orders Five Additional Episodes of Its Friday Night Comedy Hit "Happy's Place"
The "Happy's Place" premiere has hit 14 million viewers across all platforms.

[11/21/24 - 12:14 PM]
NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and Believe Entertainment Group's "Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids" Is Now Available to Rent on Amazon Prime
The feature-length documentary captures the incredible true story of the dolls, leaving nothing untouched, including the fundamental dispute over who originated the idea.

[11/21/24 - 12:14 PM]
MGM+ Renews Sci-Fi Horror Series "From" for Season Four
The series is set to return to production in Nova Scotia in 2025, and premiere in 2026.