Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer are starring on “The English,” a high-octane epic Western series at Amazon, BBC One, which has just begun production in Spain.
Set in the mythic mid-American landscape in the year of 1890, “The English” follows Cornelia Locke (Blunt), an Englishwoman who arrives into the new and wild landscape of the West to wreak revenge on the man she sees as responsible for the death of her son. Upon meeting Eli Whipp (Spencer), an ex-cavalry scout and member of the Pawnee Nation by birth, they join together and discover a shared history that must be defeated at all costs, if either of them is to survive.
“The English” is written and directed by Hugo Blick (“The Honourable Woman,” “Black Earth Rising,” “The Shadow Line”) and consists of six, hourlong episodes.
Along with Blunt and Spencer, the cast for the Western includes Rafe Spall (“The Salisbury Poisonings,” “Trying”), Tom Hughes (“A Discovery of Witches,” “Victoria”), Stephen Rea (“The Shadow Line,” “The Honourable Woman”), Valerie Pachner (“A Hidden Life,” “The Kingsman”), Toby Jones (“Marvellous,” “Detectorists”), Ciaran Hinds (“The Terror,” “The Woman in Black”), Malcolm Storry (“The Princess Bride,” “Doc Martin”), Steve Wall (“Raised by Wolves,” “The Witcher”), Nichola McAuliffe (“Tomorrow Never Dies,” “Doctor Who”), Sule Rimi (“Black Earth Rising,” “Strike Back”) and Cristian Solimeno (“Avenue 5,” “Guilt”).
Greg Brenman will executive produce “The English” for Drama Republic alongside Blick and Blunt. Mona Qureshi will executive produce for the BBC. Colin Wratten (“Killing Eve,” “The Witness for the Prosecution”) is producer.
The series was commissioned for the BBC by Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, and Piers Wenger, controller of BBC drama commissioning. Amazon Studios is coproducing in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, in association with All3Media international. IllumiNative are consulting with production on the series.
“The chance to make a Western with Emily Blunt and the cast is so delicious I’m still wondering if it’s one of those weird dreams we were all having during lockdown,” Blick said. “If not, a thrilling, romantic, epic horse-opera is heading to your screen sometime next year, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
Leave a Reply