Disney+ Orders Shardlake Series Adaptation

Disney+ has ordered a series adaptation of C.J. Sansom’s Tudor murder-mystery novels Shardlake, with Arthur Hughes (The Innocents) and Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) leading the cast.

The four-part series centers on Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer with an acute sense of justice and one of the few honest men in Tudor-era England. He works for Thomas Cromwell, the dangerous righthand man to Henry VIII, who orders him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery.

Cromwell sends Jack Barak with Shardlake, who is unsure whether Barak is supposed to be his assistant or is just Cromwell’s spy. At the monastery, the two are met with hostility, suspicion and paranoia.

In addition to Hughes and Bean, the cast includes Anthony Boyle (Masters of the Air, Tetris), Babou Ceesay (Wolfe, Damilola), Paul Kaye (The Stranger, Game of Thrones), Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Becoming Elizabeth), Peter Firth, Matthew Steer, Brian Vernel, Irfan Shamji, David Pearse, Miles Barrow, Mike Noble and Kimberley Nixon.

The adaptation is written by Stephen Butchard (Baghdad Central, The Last Kingdom) and executive produced by George Ormond and Mark Pybus for The Forge, Stevie Lee for Runaway Fridge and Lee Mason for Disney+ EMEA. Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) is on board to direct the series, with John Griffin as producer.

“C.J. Sansom’s novels have captivated millions of readers across the globe, and we’re thrilled to be joining forces with The Forge and Runaway Fridge, introducing the exceptional Arthur Hughes as Matthew Shardlake to fans and new audiences alike,” said Mason, director of scripted content for Disney+. “Stephen and Justin’s vision for this chilling tale of murder, mystery and politics promises to thrill and delight and joins a growing catalog of unmissable original drama for adults on the service.”

Butchard added, “Writing Shardlake has been nothing short of a joy. C.J. Sansom’s novels are incredibly rich in story, character and history; full of intrigue, excitement, cruelty and compassion—and at the center of it all is Matthew Shardlake, a hero like no other. Although these stories are set in Tudor England, the themes absolutely engage and resonate with today’s world. Hundreds of years may have past—but humankind and what makes us tick has changed little.”