Hollywood can’t leave the Arthurian legends alone, as Netflix has announced that it’s commissioned a King Arthur TV series from comics titan Frank Miller (Sin City, 300, The Dark Knight Returns) and The Cape creator Tom Wheeler. However, this one will be a little different: it’s told from the point of view of Nimue as a teen, before she becomes the Lady In The Lake.
THR reports that Netflix has given a straight to series order for a 10-episode first season for Cursed, which the duo are also working on as a YA novel. Here’s the synopsis:
“A reimagining of the Arthurian legend, told through the eyes of Nimue, a teenage heroine with a mysterious gift who is destined to become the powerful (and tragic) Lady of the Lake. After her mother’s death, she finds an unexpected partner in Arthur, a young mercenary, in a quest to find Merlin and deliver an ancient sword. Over the course of her journey, Nimue will become a symbol of courage and rebellion against the terrifying Red Paladins, and their complicit King Uther.”
Miller spoke about his passion for the King Arthur story and Nimue when the book was announced just a few days ago by Simon And Schuster, saying that ““I have always been entranced by the mythological Arthur story — and by Nimue, in particular. It can be interpreted in any number of ways — from a delightful children’s story, as in The Sword In The Stone, to a terrifying interpretation like Excalibur. This tale represents an incredible opportunity and an exciting challenge for me as an illustrator, and I’m excited to collaborate on the story with Thomas Wheeler. I inherited a collection of antique children’s books from my mother, and I’ve always wanted to have a crack at it myself. This project is a dream come true.”
Miller and Wheeler’s Cursed is the latest effort to bring the Arthurian legends back following Guy Ritchie’s franchise non-starter King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword, while Ridley Scott is circling a Merlin origin story for Disney, who are also looking at rebooting The Sword In The Stone.
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