James Norton & Nikolaj Coster-Waldau To Lead New CBS Studios Drama Series ‘King And Conqueror’

James Norton (Happy Valley) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) are set to star in the new CBS Studios period drama series King and Conqueror from creator Michael Robert Johnson (Sherlock Holmes). The series is based on the 11th-century figures Harold of Wessex (Norton) and William of Normandy (Coster-Waldau) and is set to begin production in 2024.

Coster-Waldau is set to direct an episode and will also executive produce.

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King and Conqueror is the story of a clash that defined the future of a country – and a continent – for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea. Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the British throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown.

“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 in a statement. “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.”

The series is created and executive produced by Michael Robert Johnson. Also serving as executive producers are James Norton and Kitty Kaletsky for Rabbit Track Pictures, Baltasar Kormákur for RVK Studios, Robert Taylor for The Development Partnership, Dave Clarke and Richard Halliwell for Shepherd Content, Ed Clarke, Robert Jones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and CBS Studios’ Lindsey Martin.

Kormákur will direct the premiere episode and, as executive producer, will steer the creative across the series. The BBC has acquired broadcasting rights for the series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom. The series will be distributed outside of this market by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Norton is represented by The Artists Partnership, WME and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Coster-Waldau is represented by UTA abd Sloane Offer Weber.

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