Stan today announced the highly anticipated BBC America drama series The Watch, featuring Game of Thrones star Richard Dormer, exclusively on Stan, same day as the US.
Inspired by the characters of Sir Terry Pratchett’s comic-fantasy Discworld book series, the brand new eight-part high-concept drama features an all-star cast led by Dormer, who’s joined by Lara Rossi (I May Destroy You), Adam Hugill (1917), Jo Eaton-Kent (Don’t Forget the Driver), Marama Corlett (Blood Drive) and Sam Adewunmi (The Last Tree) as Carcer Dun.
Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Selma) and Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows, Year of the Rabbit) will also feature in the series, voicing the characters of DEATH, a dry, sardonic Grim Reaper, and Wayne, a magical speaking sword, respectively.
The Watch follows an unlikely group of misfits, The City Watch, who are forced to find the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. The comedic yet thrilling series pits trolls, werewolves, wizards and other improbable heroes against an evil plot to resurrect a great dragon which would lead to the destruction of life as they know it.
From lead writer and executive producer Simon Allen, the modern and inclusive series is inspired by the characters created by Sir Terry Pratchett’s famous Discworld novels, including the captain of The City Watch Sam Vimes (Dormer), the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin (Rossi), the naïve but heroic Carrot (Hugill), the mysterious Angua (Corlett) and the ingenious forensics expert Cheery (Eaton-Kent) together with The Watch’s own idiosyncratic depiction of Death (Pierce).
Additional cast includes Anna Chancellor (Pennyworth) as Lord Vetinari; James Fleet (Outlander) as The Archchancellor; Ingrid Oliver (Doctor Who) as Doctor Cruces; Ruth Madeley (Years and Years) as Throat; Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Dynasty) as Captain John Keel; and Bianca Simone Mannie (Homeland) as Wonse.
Further casting includes Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) who plays Inigo Skimmer, a.k.a. The Duke of Stab, a member of the Assassins’ Guild whose long and distinguished career is jeopardized when he runs into The City Watch, as well as Ralph Ineson (Chernobyl) who is voicing Sergeant Detritus, a huge a troll made of stone and a member of The City Watch. An elemental exemplar of truth, loyalty and kindness, Detritus and Vimes have been close friends for many years since each saved the other from ruin.
The Watch is a BBC America original series made by BBC Studios Production. It’s executive produced by Hilary Salmon (Luther), Ben Donald (The Mallorca Files) and Richard Stokes for BBC Studios, Rob Wilkins (Good Omens) for Narrativia, Simon Allen and Craig Viveiros (The War of the Worlds). Johann Knobel (Shameless) is series producer of The Watch, and Simon Rogers (Doctor Foster) is production designer.
The Watch will premiere 1 January, same day as the US and only on Stan.
