Tandem, Muse Firm Details for The Pillars of the Earth

MUNICH: The Pillars of the Earth, a Tandem Communications and Muse Entertainment production in association with Scott Free Films, will be headlined by such actors as Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland and Rufus Sewell. 

The eight-hour limited series will start shooting principal photography on June 22 on location in Hungary and Austria, and is budgeted at $40 million. The project is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes, Saving Grace, Into the West). A screen adaptation of Ken Follett’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Pillars of the Earth stars Ian McShane (Deadwood) as Waleran, Donald Sutherland (Dirty Sexy Money) as Bartholomew, Rufus Sewell (The Eleventh Hour) as Tom Builder, Matthew Macfadyen (Frost/Nixon) as Prior Philip and Sarah Parish (Mistresses) as Regan Hamleigh. Hayley Atwell (The Duchess) will play Aliena, while Eddie Redmayne (The Other Boleyn Girl) is Jack and Gordon Pinsent (Away from Her) is the Archbishop. The novel has been adapted by John Pielmeier (The Memory Keeper’s Daughter), who will also play the role of Cuthbert.

Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is a thriller of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty. The story is set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles, which tears lives and families apart. It weaves together two love stories through the political turmoil of 12th century England.

“It’s great to celebrate this moment after so many years of pursuing the rights to this outstanding book,” said Rola Bauer, the managing director of Tandem Communications. “The fact that we have been able to raise the production financing in these economically challenging times is testimony to the enduring strength of fictional television event programming and brings us into Tandem’s 10th year of international co-productions. This project is a labor of passion and could not have been achieved without our international networks as well as our financial and production partners.”

“Ken Follett’s storytelling artistry presents a richness and brilliance we dream about when searching for outstanding properties for event television,” commented Ridley Scott of Scott Free. “The scope and power of the story and the richness of the characters inspires us to create a production that lives up to brilliant craft of the book.”

Michael Prupas, the president and CEO of Muse Entertainment, added, “Bringing Follett’s rich, epic tale to a television audience is an exhilarating challenge and Muse Entertainment is delighted to be a part of an international coproduction of this magnitude.”

“We have lined up a first-rate production team and cast,” commented David Zucker, the president of Scott Free Television. “Coupled with the brilliance of John Pielmeier’s extraordinary adaptation of the book, this limited series has all the makings of a classic.”

“I wrote The Pillars of the Earth 20 years ago and am very pleased to finally see my novel adapted to the screen with the strong combination of Ridley Scott and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Films and Tandem Communications,” Follett said. “I’m confident that their creative approach to my novel will bring to life the story that spans a generation. I am delighted with writer John Pielmeier’s script as well as with the impressive cast lined up. It is timely to see this project come to the screen just when the Pillars sequel World Without End has been published.”