Wolf Hall to Return for Final Act

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy, is set to begin filming for BBC and PBS Masterpiece.

Academy Award winner Mark Rylance will return to his BAFTA-winning role of Thomas Cromwell, with Emmy Award winner Damian Lewis returning as King Henry VIII and Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey. Also returning are Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour and Lilit Lesser as Princess Mary.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from a self-made man to a feared and influential figure of his time.

Wolf Hall season one is available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the U.K. and on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel in the U.S.

The final installment is a Playground and Company Pictures co-production, distributed internationally by Banijay Rights.

Peter Kosminsky, director, said: “The Mirror and the Light picks up exactly where Wolf Hall ended, with the execution of Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. I’m overjoyed to be able to reunite the extraordinary cast we were lucky enough to assemble for Wolf Hall, led by the brilliant Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis, with the original creative team of Gavin Finney (DOP), Pat Campbell (designer) and Joanna Eatwell (costume designer). We are all determined to complete what we started—and to honor the final novel written by one of the greatest literary figures of our age, Hilary Mantel.”

Colin Callender, CEO of Playground, added: “Following the success of the BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning original television adaptation of the first two books in Hilary Mantel’s acclaimed Wolf Hall trilogy, we are thrilled and honored that, nine years later, we have been able reunite Peter Kosminsky and his brilliant team, in front of and behind the camera, to bring Thomas Cromwell ‘s final chapter to the screen. Intimate, thrilling, and deeply moving, The Mirror and the Light shines a fresh light on the politics of power and the personal price paid by those who wield it. Cromwell’s story is as contemporary as ever—a story of loyalty and betrayal that just happens to be about people 500 years ago.”

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, commented: “A stunning and unforgettable adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s sublime novels, Wolf Hall quickly established itself as one of the all-time great television dramas, with millions of adoring viewers across the U.K. and around the world. Almost a decade on we’re delighted to have reunited this exceptional creative team and lead cast to conclude Mantel’s thrilling saga on the BBC.”

Susanne Simpson, executive producer of Masterpiece, said: “I am incredibly proud to bring Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light to Masterpiece and the American audience. It is thrilling that such brilliant actors as Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis will reprise their roles for this final chapter of Thomas Cromwell’s story. The level of excellence on- and off-screen for this series is incomparable.”