‘Shardlake’ trailer: Sean Bean stars in Tudor murder-mystery series
Disney+ has release the first trailer for its new period drama Shardlake!
Shardlake is described as an “eerie whodunnit adventure” set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries.
Created by The Last Kingdom writer Stephen Butchard, the upcoming series is based on C.J. Sansom‘s series of novels.
“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,” commented Butchard last year.
“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.”
Watch the trailer here:
Arthur Hughes (The Innocents) leads the cast as Matthew Shardlake, who we’re told is “a lawyer with an acute sense of justice and one of the few honest men in a world beset with scheming and plots.”
In a great piece of casting, Sharpe star Sean Bean will be playing Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s dangerous and all-powerful right-hand man.
The cast of Shardlake also boasts Peter Firth (Spooks) as Norfolk, with Anthony Boyle (Tetris) as Jack Barak, Babou Ceesay (Damilola) as Abbot Fabian, Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) as Brother Jerome, and Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (Becoming Elizabeth) as Alice.
They’ll be joined by 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’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 official synopsis reveals.
“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 Jack Barak to Scarnsea, where 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.”
Shardlake is expected to premiere in spring 2024 on Disney+ around the world.
Directed by Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) and produced by the makers of historical drama Becoming Elizabeth, the four-part drama was shot in Hungary, Austria and Romania last year.
C.J. Sansom’s Shardlake novels are available on Amazon.