With the success of shows such as Game of Thrones, Spartacus and Vikings, Syfy is looking to get in on the act with a new drama based upon the classic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, which tells the heroic tale of a Germanic warrior who comes to the aid of Hrothgar, a Danish king, who is being tormented by a monster called Grendel.
The series is being written by Matt Greenberg (1408), who will also executive produce alongside Brian Hamilton, Michael Chechik, Andrew Cosby and Paulo de Oliveira. The show is being produced by Omni, who will serve as co-distributor with Universal Cable Prods.
There have been several adaptations of Beowulf over the years, most notably Robert Zemeckis’ 2007 mo-cap effort, which featured Ray Winstone as Beowulf, Anthony Hopkins as Hrothgar, Crispin Glover as Grendel and Angelina Jolie as Grendel’s mother.