Will TV show on TNT. Laurie Davidson as William Shakespeare. Image courtesy of TNT.
The fashion of the time is changed. TNT has ordered the Will TV show to series. Will is an unconventional drama about the early life of William Shakespeare, played by newcomer Laurie Davidson (pictured above). Will will launch in 2017.
The first season of Will contains 10 hour-long episodes. The Will TV series cast also includes: Olivia DeJonge, Colm Meaney, Mattias Inwood, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Ewen Bremner.
Here is more, from TNT.
TNT Hath Bestowed a Greenlight on Will
TNT has ordered 10 episodes of Will, a brand new drama that tells the wild story of young William Shakespeare, played by newcomer Laurie Davidson. Also starring are Olivia DeJonge (The Visit, Hiding), Colm Meaney (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Hell on Wheels), Mattias Inwood (The Shanara Chronicles [sic]), Jamie Campbell Bower (Sweeney Todd, The Twilight Saga) and Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting, Snowpiercer).
Will comes to TNT from executive producers Craig Pearce (The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet), Golden Globe® nominee Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth), Alison Owen (Elizabeth) and Debra Hayward (Love Actually). Vince Gerardis (Jumper), Howard Braunstein (The Informant!, The Client List) and Louise Rosager also serve as executive producers on the series. The pilot for Will was written by Pearce and directed by Kapur. TNT plans to launch the series in 2017 in the U.S., as well as on Turner International’s entertainment channels across the globe.
Will opens with a young William Shakespeare (Davidson) just arriving onto the punk-rock theater scene in 16th century London. It is in this seductive, violent world that his raw talent faces rioting audiences, religious fanatics and raucous sideshows. This is the exciting, dangerous and contemporary version of Shakespeare’s life, played to a modern soundtrack that exposes all his recklessness, lustful temptations and brilliance.
Attracted to Will’s naïve genius is Alice Burbage (DeJonge), the talented, beautiful and rebellious daughter of James Burbage (Meaney), the carpenter with a vision to build the first theater in London since Roman times. Despite being the daughter of an impresario, Alice is forbidden by society from pursuing a career in the theater. Her brother Richard Burbage (Inwood), is innately talented, but too much in love with himself and prone to overact. A chance encounter at the theater leads him to team up with Will in what would soon become the greatest actor-writer partnership the world has ever seen. Rounding out Will’s cast of characters are playwright, poet and chief Shakespeare rival Christopher Marlowe (Bower) and wealthy and notorious law enforcer Richard Topcliffe (Bremner).
“Will has an energy and style that is unlike anything else on television today,” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT. “Shakespeare was a 16th century rock star, and Will perfectly captures in contemporary terms what that must have felt like for the young writer and his fans. We are delighted to be working with such an extraordinary team of executive producers and cast in putting a fresh, bold spin on the story of Shakespeare.”
What do you think? How do you like the sound of the Will TV series? Will you watch?
This was a superb show…. I never thought of what Shakespeare or his life would be as he was living it. This series did it brilliantly. Engrossing, accurate, extremely creative…historical costuming rooted in cutting edge punk, famous lines uttered by his contemporaries … it just turns history on its head. Brilliant! It’s so very sad this show did not continue.
I sincerely hope this series does continue. It is awesome and very educational
We watched the show every week and loved it! Laurie Davidson was terrific!! Please do not cancel this series!!!!!!!
I watched and enjoyed greatly the entire series. It was simply terrific! It was very well written and acted. The decision not to renew thiw series is wrong.
My favorite show! Lots of amazing historical accuracy along with the imagination that keeps it accessible to modern eyes.
I thought it was a brilliant show! Very well acted and great sets.
I am pleased with the degree of historical accuracy I see in the debut episodes. The academic world is still slow the acknowledge the overwhelming evidence that Shakespeare was a secret Catholic constantly one step ahead of Elizabeth’s secret police. Bravo, TNT! The writers and actors must love an historical backdrop that dramatic.
Looks very promising. Hope it starts soon.
I definitely will give this a try since it has Jamie Campbell Bower in that cast! A fine actor who somehow is not seen nearly enough (Camelot was cancelled way too soon.. it was a fine series and he was wonderful as Arthur). Hope “Will” is a big hit!
A Really great interesting series that captured the feel of Elizabethan England. The sets were exceptional, fantastic believable cast, and the writing OUTSTANDING! Clever use of THE JAM’s “That’s Entertainment” and “London Calling” by the Clash in the first episode.
Who do I contact at TNT for them to reconsider the cancellation of this quality series?