War of the Worlds (2019 TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Fox Networks Group, Urban Myth Films, StudioCanal |
Key people | Howard Overman (developer, writer), Gilles Coulier (director), Richard Clark (director) |
| Products | Television series adaptation of The War of the Worlds |
War of the Worlds is a science fiction TV series created through a collaboration between Fox Networks Group and Urban Myth Films, which is supported by StudioCanal. The show, developed and scripted by Howard Overman and directed by Gilles Coulier alongside Richard Clark, is an adaptation of H. G. Wells' 1898 novel The War of the Worlds. It explores humanity's reaction to an unexpected invasion from Mars. This production represents the third time the novel has been adapted for television. The series stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Gabriel Byrne, accompanied by a dynamic supporting cast.
The inaugural season, consisting of eight episodes, first aired in France in October 2019. The follow-up season, also with eight episodes, was released in France in May 2021. Following a renewal announcement in July 2021, the third season premiered in September 2022, continuing the format with eight episodes.
Premise
Set in modern-day Britain and France, the show offers a contemporary retelling of the classic H. G. Wells story.
Main
- Gabriel Byrne portrays Bill Ward
- Léa Drucker plays Catherine Durand
- Daisy Edgar-Jones appears as Emily Gresham (seasons 1–2)
- Elizabeth McGovern acts as Helen Brown, Bill's former spouse (season 1; guest appearance season 2)
- Bayo Gbadamosi takes on the role of Kariem Gat Wich Machar
- Adel Bencherif features as Colonel Mustafa Mokrani (season 1; guest appearances seasons 2–3)
- Emilie de Preissac plays Sophia Durand, Catherine’s sister
- Natasha Little is Sarah Gresham, mother to Emily and Tom
- Ty Tennant acts as Tom Gresham, Emily’s brother
- Stephen Campbell Moore portrays Jonathan Gresham, father to Emily and Tom
- Paul Gorostidi appears as Nathan
- Stéphane Caillard plays Chloe Dumont
- Aaron Heffernan is Ash Daniel (seasons 1, 3; recurring in season 2)
- Mathieu Torloting portrays Sacha Dumont, Chloe’s son (season 2; recurring season 1)
- Pearl Chanda appears as Zoe (seasons 2–3)
- Ania Sowinski takes on Adina, an alien leader (seasons 2–3)
- Molly Windsor plays Martha (season 3)
- Lizzie Brocheré acts as Juliet (season 3)
- Lukas Haas features as Richard (season 3)
Featured
Actors appearing in one or two episodes with notable roles include:
- Georgina Rich as Rachel (guest roles in seasons 1 & 3)
- Michael Marcus as Dan Ward, son of Bill and Helen (guest seasons 1 & 3)
- Alysson Paradis portrays Officer Clara (episodes 4 & 5)
- Guillaume Gouix acts as Noah Dumont, Chloe’s brother (episodes 4 & 5)
Season 1 (2019)
{{Episode table |background=#0F141C |overall=5 |season=5 |title=25 |titleT=Episode |director=20 |writer=20 |airdate=25 |airdateT=Original French air date |episodes=
Development
The production of War of the Worlds is a joint effort between Fox Networks Group and StudioCanal, with AGC Television handling co-financing and distribution duties. Executive producers include Howard Overman, Julian Murphy, and Johnny Capps. In its first season, directing responsibilities were split evenly between Gilles Coulier and Richard Clark, each overseeing four episodes, while Overman served as lead writer.
By October 2019, work had commenced on a second season. Richard Clark returned to direct the opening four episodes of this season, with Ben A. Williams directing the latter half. In July 2021, the show was greenlit for a third season that aired in 2022 under the direction of Indra Siera and Jonas Alexander Arnby.
Casting
The series is headlined by Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern, with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Bayo Gbadamosi featured as prominent co-leads. Significant supporting roles are portrayed by Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Stéphane Caillard, Adel Bencherif, Guillaume Gouix, Léa Drucker, and Natasha Little. Although Greg Kinnear was originally linked to the project, he did not appear in the final cast revealed in early 2019.
Filming
Production for the initial season took place across multiple locations in the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium, including cities such as Bristol, Cardiff, Newport, and London. Filming commenced in early 2019. The second season was shot between July and October 2020, with adjustments made to accommodate challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The soundtrack notably features Nick Cave’s track “Into My Arms”.
Release
In France, the entire first season was made available on MyCanal on October 28, 2019, followed by a weekly schedule releasing two episodes at a time. Across Europe and Africa, episodes were broadcast weekly from October 30 through December 18, 2019. The series debuted in the United States on February 16, 2020, via Epix, premiered in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2020, and launched in Canada on October 7, 2020, through CBC Television. Distribution rights for Europe and Africa are held by Canal+ and Fox Networks Group, whereas AGC Television oversees North American distribution and collaborates with StudioCanal for distribution throughout Latin America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. The show is available on Fox in more than fifty countries and airs on Epix within the U.S.
The second season’s eight episodes were simultaneously released in full on May 17, 2021, via MyCanal in France alongside a weekly rollout of two episodes. It premiered on Fox in South Africa on May 24, 2021; on Epix in the U.S. on June 6, 2021; and became available on CBC Gem in Canada starting October 6, 2021.
The third season, consisting of eight episodes as well, began airing on September 5, 2022, with two episodes released weekly. Its U.S. premiere on Epix occurred on September 12, 2022.
Reception
Ben Dowell from The Times awarded the first season four stars out of five. The AV Club characterized it as "engaging though somewhat derivative," while The New York Times praised it as an "intelligent and atmospheric genre series."