Disney+ is getting ready to develop Shardlake, a mystery series adapted from CJ Sansom’s Tudor novel series following the hunchback detective Matthew Shardlake as he investigates murders under King Henry VIII’s reign.
The first Shardlake book, of which Sanson has written seven in the series, is Dissolution and “introduces readers Dr Matthew Shardlake, a hunchback lawyer-turned-detective in Tudor England. He is sent by Thomas Cromwell, the ultimate Tudor powerbroker, to investigate the beheading of Robin Singleton, a commissioner responsible for disbanding monasteries after Henry VIII declared himself supreme head of the Church of England.”
The series is expected to shoot this year for a total of four episodes with Justin Chadwick (Becoming Elizabeth) directing. It will be produced by Disney and UK production company The Forge.
This will mark the first time any of the Shardlake novels have been adapted to film or television, though several of them have been adapted for BBC Radio.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
