The Mirror and the Light: BBC Wolf Hall team to reunite for final book of Cromwell Trilogy

The team behind the BBC’s Bafta-winning Wolf Hall sequence are reuniting to adapt the final book of Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy.

First launched in 2015, the historic miniseries noticed Mark Rylance starring as Cromwell alongside Damian Lewis as the sinister King Henry VIII. The sequence, co-produced by PBS debuted to important acclaim, incomes Rylance a Bafta.

Whereas the sequence was primarily based on the first two books of Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy (Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall and Deliver Up the Our bodies), the late writer launched a 3rd instalment in 2020, titled The Mirror and the Mild. The books of Mantel’s trilogy are thought-about by many to be some of the biggest books of the twenty first century.

On Monday (20 November), the BBC introduced that Wolf Hall was returning to the screens for an adaptation of the final book of Mantel’s sequence, 2020’s The Mirror and the Mild. The information comes one yr after the writer died in September 2022, aged 70.

As with Mantel’s book, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Mild picks up in Could 1536, following the loss of life of Henry VIII’s second spouse Anne Boleyn by beheading. Whereas Henry marries his third queen, Jane Seymour, Cromwell continues his climb to energy and wealth, conscious that no one is secure in a world the place the king will execute his personal spouse.

In the meantime, Henry has grow to be proud of Seymour however his regime can also be going in the direction of “breaking level”. “The inevitable query stays: how lengthy can anybody survive underneath Henry’s merciless and capricious gaze?” the sequence reads.

The sequence follows the final 4 years of Cromwell’s life, with Rylance and Lewis returning as Cromwell and Henry VIII respectively. Jonathan Pryce, Kate Phillips and Lilit Lesser additionally amongst the returning forged members. Filming is due to start quickly.

The inventive team are additionally coming back from the first sequence, with seven-time Bafta winner Peter Kosminsky again in the director’s chair. The script has been tailored by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan, with Colin Callender’s Playground and Firm Photos producing as soon as extra.

Kosminsky stated: “I’m overjoyed to give you the option to reunite the extraordinary forged we have been fortunate sufficient to assemble for Wolf Hall… We’re all decided to full what we began – and to honour the final novel written by one of the biggest literary figures of our age, Hilary Mantel.”

Earlier than Mantel’s books have been tailored by the BBC, the Royal Shakespeare Firm introduced them to the stage in 2013 for Wolf Hall Elements One and Two. The play later transferred to the West Finish and Broadway.

An adaptation of The Mirror and the Mild adopted in 2021, one yr after the book’s launch.