MGM+ adapts Bernard Cornwell’s Arthurian epic ‘Warlord Chronicles’ with Bad Wolf

The Winter King

Amazon-owned streamer and linear channel MGM+ has ordered The Winter King, a “revisionist” take on Arthurian legend, based on the Warlord Chronicles book series by Bernard Cornwell.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television-owned Bad Wolf, the series is set to premiere globally on 20 August. Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, His Dark Materials) serves as lead director and executive producer, alongside Toby Leslie.

Sony Pictures Television is distributing The Winter King worldwide, and the series will also stream on ITVX in the UK later this year.

The Winter King is set in the fifth century, long before Britain was united, in a brutal land of warring factions and tribes, where lives were often fleeting. The series follows Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader.

The series stars Iain De Caestecker as Arthur, alongside Eddie Marsan, Ellie James, Nathaniel Martello-White and Stuart Campbell.

Kate Brooke (Bancroft, A Discovery of Witches) and Ed Whitmore (Silent Witness, Manhunt) adapted Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles and act as executive producers.

Julie Gardner (Doctor Who, I Hate Suzie), Lachlan MacKinnon (Industry, A Discovery of Witches) and Jane Tranter (His Dark Materials, Succession) serve as executive producers with Sherry Marsh (Pose, Vikings).

Shelley Browning and Kenneth L. Browning are also executive producers, and the drama is produced by Catrin Lewis Defis for Bad Wolf, in association with One Big Picture.

“The Winter King is a cinematic and imaginative reinterpretation of the Arthurian legend,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “Kate Brooke, Ed Whitmore, and the magnificent cast take viewers on a fascinating and entertaining journey through this timeless tale told through a new lens.”

This latest commission for MGM+ comes on the heels of another novel adaptation order, with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television to produce a series based on Stephen L Carter’s Emperor Of Ocean Park for the service.

In March, Amazon announced plans to relaunch MGM+ internationally, stocking the streamer with shows including Mad Men, the Power franchise and Black Sails after striking a deal with Lionsgate.

MGM+, which rebranded from Epix and relaunched in the US in January, will roll out in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, and include a raft of Lionsgate and Starz shows and films.

The streamer, which became part of Amazon along with its studio parent following the retail giant’s $8.5bn acquisition last year, is currently available in 25 countries across Europe, Australasia, Latin America, and Canada.