The continued success of Vikings has made way for yet another period drama from the History network. The television channel’s next foray into original programming will come via Knightfall, a brand new adventure from A+E Studios and Jeremy Renner’s The Combine and Midnight Radio production house. Knightfall has been in development for almost two years, and was initially announced back in January 2016.
According to showrunner, Dominic Minghella, the show will recount the epic rise and fall of the Knights Templar order, who were a prominent political force in medieval Europe. Along with their power and influence within the realm, the Templars were also famously tasked with locating legendary the Holy Grail. It’s a story that has been surrounded in myth for centuries, and has more recently percolated into pop culture thanks to conspiratorial fiction like Dan Brown’s infamous 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code.
Producer, Jeremy Renner, chatted with The Hollywood Reporter this April and spoke of his interest in the program by explaining that the show’s world was ingrained in his youth. “When I was a kid, it was cowboys and knights. But even when I was a struggling actor, I collected knight swords — who knows what I thought I was doing,” he told press.
The show will star a number of talented actors including Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Simon Merrells (Spartacus), and Tom Cullen (The Tudors) as its lead figure, Gawain. Knightfall is set to premiere on December 6, and will slot into a 10pm timeslot. You can watch the exciting trailer below via YouTube.
