In a stellar move of casting people with square jaws and piercing eyes, CBS Studios has announced that James Norton (Happy Valley) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) have been cast in its new medical drama series King and Conqueror.
From Sherlock Holmes (the one with Robert Downey Jr.) writer Michael Robert Johnson, the series is a historical epic set in the 11th century, so while it isn’t fantasy-based like Coster-Waldau’s turn as a Lannister in Game of Thrones, it does mean the actor will once again be standing around in draft, stone castles and wearing medical garb. In fact, King and Conqueror is based on the true stories of Harold of Wessex (Norton) and William of Normandy (Coster-Waldau), whose battle for Great Britain helped define the future of the world. The pair met at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, neither seeking the crown but both destined to compete for it.
“We are thrilled to partner with James, Nikolaj, Baltasar, and the entire creative team on King and Conqueror, a truly groundbreaking series with world-class talent and global reach,” Lindsey Martin, senior vice president of international co-productions and development at CBS Studios, said. “Michael’s scripts offer a bold and fresh take on a story that has endured for nearly 1,000 years, and yet, the themes are as contemporary and relevant as ever. We are incredibly proud of what the team has achieved so far and can’t wait to see it all come to fruition on screen with our star-studded cast.”
It’s not clear where you’ll be able to watch the series yet unless you live in the UK, where the BBC has acquired broadcast rights for the show to air on BBC One. Outside of the UK, Paramount will be distributing the series and could very easily bring it to Paramount+ as a new prestige series on the streamer. However, given the downturn in studios pumping content to their platforms and the uptick in them selling it off, it’s also possible they sell it to another streamer, broadcaster, or cable channel.
