Genre: | Historical drama |
Based On: | The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel |
Director: | Peter Kosminsky |
Country: | United Kingdom |
Language: | English |
Executive Producer: |
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Producer: | Lisa Osbounre |
Company: | Company Pictures Playground |
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light is an upcoming historical drama television series. It is a second adaptation by Peter Straughan of the Wolf Hall novels by Hilary Mantel and covers The Mirror & the Light, the final novel in the trilogy. It has Peter Kosminsky returning to direct, Mark Rylance returning in the lead role of Thomas Cromwell, and Peter Straughan returning to write from the 2015 series Wolf Hall.
The series begins with Thomas Cromwell navigating the Tudor court in the aftermath of the 1536 execution of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, and the monarch about to marry his third wife, Jane Seymour.[1]
In March 2022, Mark Rylance confirmed that a second series was in development with scripts being worked on for six episodes and Peter Kosminsky set to return as director.[2] Hilary Mantel was acting as consultant on the script adaptation at the time of her death in September 2022. Kominsky, who worked closely with Mantel on the first series and had received installments of the original text as Mantel was writing the third installment of her historical trilogy, released in 2020, said that the series would continue as a "memorial" to the author.[3] Peter Straughan has again adapted the book for the series, as he had in season one, Playground and Company Pictures producing once more.[4] In November 2023, it was reported that broadcaster's Masterpiece PBS and the BBC were set to begin production on the series.[5] It is produced by Lisa Osborne and executive produced by Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley for Playground, Kosminsky, Lucy Richer for the BBC and Susanne Simpson for Masterpiece.[6]
As well as Mark Rylance returning as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis also returns as King Henry VIII and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey. Kate Phillips will also reprise her role as Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, with Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary.[7] The following month it was reported that Timothy Spall, Harriet Walter and Harry Melling had been added to the cast,[8] as well as Will Tudor, Will Keen and Viola Prettejohn.[9] The casting of the courtiers was more diverse for Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light.[10]
The casting of Egyptian-British Amir El-Masry as Thomas Wyatt was criticized by Wyatt's descendant, journalist Petronella Wyatt.
Filming got underway in late 2023.[11] Filming was reported at Berkeley Castle in February 2024.[12] The following month, filming took place at Wells Cathedral.[13]
The series is reportedly set to arrive in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in late 2024 or early 2025.[14]