‘The Beast Must Die’: BritBox Developing Season 2 Of Gaby Chiappe-Penned Drama
BritBox, the ITV and BBC joint-venture streamer, has announced that it is developing a second season of its UK drama series The Beast Must Die.
Produced by New Regency Television and Ridley Scott’s Scott Free, BritBox said the first two episodes of the Jared Harris and Cush Jumbo drama have broken viewing records since premiering last week, but the service declined to disclose actual figures.
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Vera writer Gaby Chiappe adapted the first season from the 1938 novel of the same name by Nicholas Blake, the nom de plume of poet Cecil Day-Lewis, father of Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the story of a grieving mother who infiltrates the life of the man she believes killed her son.
Season 2 will be an original story told by Chiappe, which has been titled A Sword in my Bones. It will center on Billy Howle (The Serpent), who is poised to reprise his role as Detective Nigel Strangeways.
BAFTA-winning Chernobyl star Harris leads the cast for five-part Season 1, which also features The Good Wife’s Jumbo, and Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries). Geraldine James (Back To Life), Maeve Dermody (Carnival Row), and newcomers Mia Tomlinson and Barney Sayburn also feature.
Tolkein helmer Dome Karukosk directs, while Sarada McDermott is the producer. Executive producers are Ed Rubin and Emma Broughton for New Regency, Marina Brackenbury and David Zucker for Scott Free, and Parker and Chiappe.
Commenting on a potential second season, Rubin said: “Harnessing a similar emotional intensity and thriller pulse to season one; A Sword In My Bones will offer up even greater narrative scope, a terrific new cast of characters and a whole new cinematic setting.”
The Beast Must Die was picked up by AMC in the U.S. Endeavor Content brokered the deal on behalf of New Regency and Scott Free. New Regency International Sales is handling distribution for the rest of the World.
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