Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to Play William the Conqueror in ‘King and Conqueror’ TV Series

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is getting a sword back in hand.

The Game of Thrones star is partnering with James Norton (Happy Valley) to co-lead an 11th century historical drama series based on William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings.

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The BBC and CBS Studios project is titled King and Conqueror and is from writer Michael Robert Johnson (Sherlock Holmes) and with a premiere directed by Baltasar Kormákur (Everest).

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.”

Norton plays Harold, Earl of Wessex, and will executive produce through his production company Rabbit Track Pictures; Coster-Waldau is William, Duke of Normandy, while also directing an episode and serving as an executive producer.

Sue Deeks, head of BBC program acquisition, says (in a quote containing a historical spoiler): “In the U.K. we learn about William the Conqueror, the Battle of Hastings and King Harold’s gruesome death in our school history lessons — but those headlines are all most of us can remember. King and Conqueror will bring Harold and William to life, depicting their lives, loves and families, and the gripping, high-stakes power game that led to their fateful meeting in 1066. With incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera, I cannot wait for this exciting project to be realized.”

“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,” adds Lindsey Martin, senior vp of international co-productions and development at CBS Studios. “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 onscreen with our star-studded cast.”

Executive producers include Norton and Kitty Kaletsky for Rabbit Track Pictures, Kormákur for RVK Studios; Robert Taylor for The Development Partnership; Dave Clarke and Richard Halliwell for Shepherd Content; Ed Clarke; Robert Jones; and CBS Studios’ Martin.

The series is distributed by Paramount Global outside the U.K. and will begin production in 2024.

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