Mark Hamill set to join ‘Knightfall’ as it's renewed for season 2 with Aaron Helbing as the showrunner
Good news for 'Knightfall' and 'Star Wars' fans alike as Mark Hamill is set to join the second season of History's medieval drama. Aaron Helbing ('The Flash,' 'Spartacus: War of the Damned') will be the showrunner and executive producer. Also joining the season 2 cast is Tom Forbes ('The Bastard Executioner,' 'Wolf Hall') and Genevieve Gaunt ('The Royals').
History has ordered a second season of 'Knightfall,' starring Tom Cullen and Jeremy Renner following strong ratings for season 1, which reached 25 million total viewers in Live+7. The story dwells in the medieval politics and warfare of the Knights Templar, the most powerful, wealthy and mysterious military order of the Middle Ages who were entrusted with protecting Christianity’s most precious relics. Knightfall goes deep into the clandestine world of this legendary brotherhood of warrior monks to learn who these knights were, how they lived, and what they died believing.
Mark Hamill attends the 92nd Street Y Present: Mark Hamill And Frank Oz at 92nd Street Y on March 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Hamill will play Talus, a battle-hardened Knight Templar veteran of the Crusades, who survived captivity for 10 years in the Holy Land; who'll also train the new initiates to the Order. Forbes will play the role of 'Prince Louis,' a violent and unpredictable son of King Philip and heir to the throne. Gaunt is Isabella, the daughter of King Philip and well on her way to becoming the woman who history would call “the she-wolf of France.”
The series is currently the No. 3 new drama on cable among total viewers in L+7, according to Nielsen and History. “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 in a statement, History’s EVP 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.”
'Knightfall’s Season 2 joins History’s 'Vikings' and the upcoming 'Project Blue Book,' executive produced by Robert Zemeckis and starring Aidan Gillen and Michael Malarkey.