https://youtu.be/ymQMJDmhu70
During a virtual MCM/New York Comic-Con Metaverse panel today, BBC America released the first trailer for ‘The Watch‘ which will premiere in the US in January 2021. The also revealed that Wendell Pierce (‘The Wire’, ‘Suit’) and Matt Berry (‘What We Do in the Shadows’, ‘Year of the Rabbit’) are joining the series voicing the characters of “DEATH,” a dry, sardonic Grim Reaper, and “Wayne,” a magical speaking sword, respectively.
The panel, which you can see below, was moderated by actress and host Yvette Nicole Brown (‘Community’, ‘Avengers: End Game’), and saw stars Richard Dormer (‘Game of Thrones’), Lara Rossi (‘I May Destroy You’), Adam Hugill (‘1917’), Jo Eaton-Kent (‘Don’t Forget the Driver’) and Marama Corlett (‘Blood Drive’), along with lead writer and executive producer Simon Allen (‘The Musketeers’) and executive producer Richard Stokes (‘Broadchurch’), discuss the origination of the series sharing anecdotes from filming earlier this year while providing a first look at the series via clips and a teaser trailer.
‘The Watch’ follows an unlikely group of misfits, The City Watch, who are forced to find the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. The comedic yet thrilling series pits trolls, werewolves, wizards and other improbable heroes against an evil plot to resurrect a great dragon which would lead to the destruction of life as they know it. From lead writer and executive producer Simon Allen, the modern and inclusive series is inspired by the characters created by Sir Terry Pratchett’s famous “Discworld” novels, including the captain of The City Watch Sam Vimes (Dormer), the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin (Rossi), the naïve but heroic Carrot (Hugill), the mysterious Angua (Corlett) and the ingenious forensics expert Cheery (Eaton-Kent) together with The Watch’s own idiosyncratic depiction of Death (Pierce).
Further casting includes Paul Kaye (‘Game of Thrones’) who plays Inigo Skimmer, a.k.a. The Duke of Stab, a member of the Assassins’ Guild whose long and distinguished career is jeopardized when he runs into The City Watch, as well as Ralph Ineson (‘Chernobyl’) who is voicing Sergeant Detritus, a huge a troll made of stone and a member of The City Watch. An elemental exemplar of truth, loyalty and kindness, Detritus and Vimes have been close friends for many years since each saved the other from ruin.
Previously announced cast includes Sam Adewunmi (‘The Last Tree’) as Carcer Dun; Anna Chancellor (‘Pennyworth’) as Lord Vetinari; James Fleet (‘Outlander’) as The Archchancellor; Ingrid Oliver (‘Doctor Who’) as Doctor Cruces; Ruth Madeley (‘Years and Years’) as Throat; Hakeem Kae-Kazim (‘Dynasty’) as Captain John Keel; and, Bianca Simone Mannie (‘Homeland’) as Wonse.
‘The Watch’ is a BBC AMERICA original series executive produced by Hilary Salmon (‘Luther’), Ben Donald (‘The Mallorca Files’) and Richard Stokes for BBC Studios, Rob Wilkins (‘Good Omens’) for Narrativia, Simon Allen and Craig Viveiros (‘The War of the Worlds’). Johann Knobe (‘Shameless’) is series producer of ‘The Watch’, and Simon Rogers (‘Doctor Foster’) is production designer. BBC Studios is handling distribution internationally.
‘The Watch‘ premieres Sunday, January 3rd at 8PM ET/PT on BBC America in the USA. The series currently doesn’t have a UK broadcaster… and I’ll explain this again as it comes up every time we mention BBC America… BBC America is an entirely commercial entity, jointly owned by BBC Studios and AMC Networks. It does not take any license fee money and is funded by commercials and subscriptions. Consequently, that means original series it commissions do not automatically belong to BBC in the UK. It may come to a BBC channel here, or it may be sold somewhere else. We’ll have to wait and see!
