“Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light,” based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy, will begin filming in the United Kingdom soon, according to Masterpiece, PBS and the BBC. Oscar winner Mark Rylance is back as Thomas Cromwell, joined by Emmy winner Damian Lewis returning as King Henry VII and Oscar nominee Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey.
Kate Phillips will also reprise her role as Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, and Lilit Lesser is Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry and his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
Per the release, “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” will follow “the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time.”
“Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” is directed by Peter Kominsky, adapted by Peter Straughan and produced by Lisa Osborne. The series is executive produced by Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley for Playground, Kosminsky, Lucy Richer for the BBC and Susanne Simpson for Masterpiece.
Masterpiece is presented on PBS by GBH Boston. Banijay Rights will distribute the series internationally.
PROGRAMMING
Canela Media has launched an after show for its reality series “Secretos De Villanas.” “Secretos El Aftershow” premieres Nov. 23 on Fridays following “Secretos de Villanas” through Dec. 29.
Each after show episode will feature an interview with one of the actresses and executive producer and host Enrique Sapene. The conversations will delve into topics beyond what is featured in the show. Verizon will have category exclusive presence for “Secretos El Aftershow” and is the exclusive presenting sponsor. In addition to Sapene highlighting Verizon’s “myPlan” on the show, the integration will also include feature deals for those watching.
“Secretos de Villanas” brings telenovela villains together — Laura Zapata, Cynthia Klitbo, Aylin Mujica, Sabine Moussier, Geraldine Bazán and Sarah Mintz — on a luxurious vacation to a villa in British Columbia. The latest season premiered on Oct. 26. Sapene and Rubén Consuegra, who serves as showrunner at River Waves Production, executive produce “Secretos de Villanas.”
DEVELOPMENT
CreativeChaos has acquired the rights to Klementyna Suchanow’s nonfiction Polish bestseller “This Is War: Women, Fundamentalists and the New Middle Ages.”
Tom Donahue and Ilan Arboleda will adapt Suchanow’s book into a four-part docuseries that follows Suchanow’s transformation from author to activist in a trial for actions against the Polish government. With the help of an international network of journalists and activists, Suchanow will expose a fundamentalist global effort to destroy human rights and turn the world’s democracies into authoritarian regimes.
Suchanow cofounded the Polish Women’s Strike and embarked on an eight years long mission as she scrutinized a network of traditionalist-conservative organizations throughout Europe, Latin America, Africa and the United States. The series will explore how those groups are infiltrated by Kremlin agents and the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies — which were both weapons of interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
The unnamed project will be executive produced by Donahue, Arboleda, co creator Jan Swietlik and Suchanow, who will also pen the series.