History has announced that it has renewed its hit Knights Templar drama series Knightfall for a second season, which will see Star Wars‘ Mark Hamill joining the cast in the role of Talus, a battle-hardened veteran of the Crusades responsible for training new initiates into the Order.
“In the face of ever-increasing competition, we’re proud of History’s track record of producing signature drama series that are epic in scope with complex characters,” said Eli Lehrer, History’s Executive Vice President of Programming.“ Whether it’s the legendary Knights Templar, the extraordinary tale of medieval Norsemen, or the story of a formerly classified United States Air Force program investigating UFOs during the Cold War, these series reflect our commitment to bringing the defining, big canvas stories of history to life. We look forward to offering our viewers a grittier, darker Knightfall in season two and welcoming Mark to the cast.”
Along with Hamill, the second season will also see Tom Forbes (Wolf Hall) and Genevieve Gaunt (The Royals) joining a cast that includes Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), Padraic Delaney (The Tudors), Simon Merrells (Spartacus), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Olivia Ross (War and Peace), Ed Stoppard (The Crown), Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey) and Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (The Bridge).
Knightfall begins after the fall of the city of Acre, the Templar’s last stronghold in the Holy Land, where the Holy Grail is lost. Years later, a clue emerges suggesting the whereabouts of the Grail and sends the Templars, led by the noble, courageous and headstrong Templar Knight Landry (Tom Cullen, Downton Abbey, Gunpowder), on a life or death mission to find the lost Cup of Christ. From their battles in the Holy Land, to their clash with the King of France, to the dark events leading to the demise of the Templar Order on Friday the 13th, 1307 – a date which became synonymous with bad luck—the story of the Knights Templar has never been fully told until now. Focusing on themes such as belief, sacrifice, politics, love, power and revenge – Knightfall goes deep into the clandestine world of this legendary brotherhood of warrior monks to find out who these knights were, how they lived, and what they died believing.
