King and Conqueror

King and Conqueror is an upcoming historical drama television series created by Michael Robert Johnson for BBC One and starring James Norton as Harold Godwinson and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William the Conqueror.

King and Conqueror
Genre	Historical drama
Created by	Michael Robert Johnson
Directed by	Baltasar Kormákur
Starring	James Norton Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Music by	Högni Egilsson
Country of origin	United Kingdom United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Kitty Kaletsky James Norton Robert Taylor Richard Halliwell Baltasar Kormákur Lindsey Martin Dave Clarke Ed Clarke
Production companies	BBC Studios CBS Studios The Development Partnership Shepherd Content Rabbit Track Pictures RVK Studios
Original release
Network	BBC One (UK) CBS (US)

Premise

In 11th-century Britain, the King of England, Harold, faces a threat to his throne from an ambitious Norman, William.^[1]

Cast and characters

• James Norton as Harold Godwinson
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William the Conqueror
• Clémence Poésy as Matilda
• Emily Beecham as Edith
• Luther Ford as Tostig
• Ingvar Sigurdsson as Fitzosbern
• Eddie Marsan as King Edward
• Juliet Stevenson as Lady Emma
• Jean-Marc Barr as Henry I of France
• Geoff Bell as Godwin
• Elliot Cowan as Sweyn
• Bo Bragason as Queen Gunhild
• Bjarne Henriksen as Earl Siward
• Oliver Masucci as Baldwin
• Clare Holman as Gytha
• Jason Forbes as Thane Thomas
• Joakim Nätterqvist as Thorolf
• Elander Moore as Morcar
• Indy Lewis as Margaret
• Ines Asserson as Judith
• Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson as Hardrada
• Léo Legrand as Odo
• Þorsteinn Bachmann as Baron of Brittany
• Louise Kim Salter as Agnes

Production

The project was announced in November 2023.^{[citation needed]} The season premiere is set to be directed by Baltasar Kormákur. Other episodes will be helmed by Erik Leijonborg and Bálint Szentgyörgyi.^[2] James Norton is an executive producer through Rabbit Track Pictures and stars as Harold Godwinson. Other executive producers include 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' Lindsey Martin.^[3] Also in November 2023, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was announced to appear as William the Conqueror.^[4] Norton initially wanted to portray William the Conqueror, but due to contract restrictions from his role in HBO's The Nevers, he took the part of Harold, as HBO only permitted him to take on a character written to die.^[5]

In March 2024, Clémence Poésy and Emily Beecham joined the series.^[6] Later that month, the cast was rounded out to include Eddie Marsan, Juliet Stevenson, Bo Bragason, Luther Ford, and Joseph Mawle, amongst others.^[7] In July 2024, it was announced that Ingvar Sigurdsson had taken over the role of Fitzosbern from Mawle.^[8] Further cast members were revealed, including Elander Moore, Indy Lewis, Jason Forbes, Ines Asserson, Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson, and Léo Legrand.^[9]

Filming began in March 2024 in Iceland,^[10][11] at locations that included Heiðmörk and around Reykjavík.^[12] It wrapped up in July 2024.^[13]

Broadcast

The series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom in 2025. Paramount Global Content Distribution will handle worldwide distribution.^[14]