The production of “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light,” based on Hilary Mantel’s award-winning trilogy, has been confirmed by the BBC and Masterpiece PBS. The upcoming six-part series, a continuation of the acclaimed first series, is set to be filmed shortly and will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK.
The creative team behind the initial BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning series, including director Peter Kosminsky, screenwriter Peter Straughan, and producers Colin Callender’s Playground and Company Pictures, will reunite for this final installment. Mark Rylance, an Academy Award winner, will reprise his role as Thomas Cromwell, joined by Emmy Award winner Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII and Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey. Other returning cast members include Kate Phillips and Lilit Lesser, with additional cast announcements to follow.
Set in May 1536, “The Mirror and the Light” explores the aftermath of Anne Boleyn’s execution and Cromwell’s continued quest for power and wealth in the volatile political landscape of the time. Despite challenges such as rebellion, treason, and the looming threat of invasion, Cromwell envisions a transformed England, grappling with moral complexities and the ever-present gaze of Henry VIII.
Director Peter Kosminsky says: “The Mirror and the Light picks up exactly where Wolf Hall ended, with the execution of Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. I’m overjoyed to be able to reunite the extraordinary cast we were lucky enough to assemble for Wolf Hall, led by the brilliant Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis, with the original creative team of Gavin Finney (DOP), Pat Campbell (Designer) and Joanna Eatwell (Costume Designer). We are all determined to complete what we started – and to honour the final novel written by one of the greatest literary figures of our age, Hilary Mantel.”
Colin Callender, CEO of Playground, says “Following the success of the BAFTA and Golden Globe winning original television adaptation of the first two books in Hilary Mantel’s acclaimed Wolf Hall trilogy, we are thrilled and honoured that, nine years later, we have been able re-unite Peter Kosminsky and his brilliant team, in front of and behind the camera, to bring Thomas Cromwell ‘s final chapter to the screen. Intimate, thrilling, and deeply moving, The Mirror and the Light shines a fresh light on the politics of power and the personal price paid by those who wield it. Cromwell’s story is as contemporary as ever – a story of loyalty and betrayal that just happens to be about people 500 years ago.”
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, says: “A stunning and unforgettable adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s sublime novels, Wolf Hall quickly established itself as one of the all-time great television dramas, with millions of adoring viewers across the U.K. and around the World. Almost a decade on we’re delighted to have reunited this exceptional creative team and lead cast to conclude Mantel’s thrilling saga on the BBC.”
Susanne Simpson, Executive Producer of Masterpiece says: “I am incredibly proud to bring Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light to Masterpiece and the American audience. It is thrilling that such brilliant actors as Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis will reprise their roles for this final chapter of Thomas Cromwell’s story. The level of excellence on and off screen for this series is incomparable.”
The co-production by Playground and Company Pictures for the BBC and Masterpiece will be distributed internationally by Banijay Rights. Filming for “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” is scheduled to commence across the UK soon, with further details to be announced in the coming months.
