The Watch, produced by BBC Studios and Narrativia, uses Terry Pratchett’s City Watch books as inspiration to create a ‘uniquely anarchic and thrillingly entertaining police procedural.’
BBC America has announced the casting of several Ankh-Morpork leaders, with Anna Chancellor as Vetinari, James Fleet as the Archchancellor of Unseen University and Ingrid Oliver as Doctor Cruces, head of the Assassins Guild.
In the lower echelons of Ankh-Morpork, ‘Throat’ – a character based on Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler – will be played by Ruth Madeley. She says ‘I’m so excited to be part of a world that Sir Terry Pratchett created. The character of Throat was male in the original books so for the team to cast me was extra exciting. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Throat develops and what mischief she can bring’.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim stars as Captain John Keel, ‘former leader of The Watch and mentor to Sam Vimes’, whilst Bianca Simone Mannie will play the re-imagined character of Wonse, ‘a wizard hopeful in waiting that is frequently underestimated.’
The cast will be led by actor Richard Dormer playing the legendary Sam Vimes. Dormer says ‘I’m so thrilled to be part of this brilliant madness and mayhem! I was immediately drawn to the multitude of layers to Sam Vimes, and I find the dynamic between him and his band of disenfranchised comrades very compelling.’
Previously announced casting includes Adam Hugill as Carrot, Jo Eaton-Kent as Cheery, Marama Corlett as Angua, Lara Rossi as Lady Sybil and Sam Adewunmi as Carcer.
Rob Wilkins, trustee of the Terry Pratchett estate, holds an Executive Producer role, as does Lead Writer Simon Allen, who says: ‘Sir Terry Pratchett is in the bloodstream of popular culture. He has a distinctly British kind of literary heart and humour but his ideas are defiantly human and universal. It’s been such a privilege to work with our world class director, producers and writers on building a television show that honours his legacy while striking out on its own in his name and spirit. Like the man whose genius inspired it, The Watch is a hopeful show that believes it’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness. I can’t wait for everybody to see our joyously brilliant cast light candles and, of course, flamethrowers.’
The Watch will be brought to screen by highly acclaimed Director Craig Viveiros, who says: ‘The script for The Watch is like nothing I have ever read before. It’s anarchic, it’s noisy and raspy, and I am really looking forward to bringing it to life on screen. With such a talented line up of cast and crew together we can make something ground-breaking.’
The series started filming in South Africa this year on September 30th.
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