The Winter King: a frosty fresh take on Arthurian legend (fantasy TV series 1st trailer).
As the chill of winter approaches, so does the premiere of the much-anticipated MGM historical fantasy TV series, The Winter King. Based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles, this forthcoming British television series is set to breathe new life into the Arthurian legend, with a dash of violence and a generous helping of historical grit.
Set in Post-Roman Dark Age Britain, “The Winter King” promises a fresh perspective on the Arthurian legend, with characters that defy traditional portrayals. Lancelot, often depicted as the epitome of knightly virtue, is presented as a vain and unpopular figure. Guinevere, usually the damsel in distress, is a power-hungry woman with a sharp mind and sharper ambitions. And Merlin, far from the wise and benevolent wizard, is a cunning druid with his own mysterious agenda.. The throne is occupied by a child-king, vulnerable and unprotected. This is not the Camelot of your childhood storybooks. Instead, it’s a raw, unvarnished portrayal of a time of turmoil and transition, where heroes are flawed, villains are complex, and the line between the two is often blurred.
“The Winter King” is not a retelling of the Arthurian legend; it’s a reimagining. It takes the familiar elements of the mythos and weaves them into a narrative that is grounded in historical reality. It’s a tale of power struggles, political intrigue, and personal ambition, set against the backdrop of a land in turmoil.
The series stars Iain De Caestecker as Arthur Pendragon, the illegitimate son of King Uther, who returns from exile to a land in chaos. Stuart Campbell portrays Derfel Cadarn, a Saxon-born warrior raised among Celtic Britons, who serves as the series’ narrator. The cast also includes Jordan Alexandra as an ambitious and scheming Guinevere, and Nathaniel Martello-White as a more political than mystical Merlin.
As we await the premiere of “The Winter King,” we can look forward to a series that promises to be as frosty as its title suggests. It’s a fresh take on a timeless legend, a tale of heroes and villains, of ambition and intrigue, of power and betrayal. So, grab your cloak and your sword, and prepare for a winter of epic storytelling. The Winter King is coming, and he’s bringing a storm with him.
Hits the USA on August 20th, 2023 – it’s also meant to stream on ITVX, ITV’s streaming platform.
