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World Without End (miniseries)

From Alfawiki
World Without End (miniseries)
Company typeTelevision miniseries
IndustryTelevision
Founded2012
Headquarters
International production (Hungary, Slovakia, Austria)
Key people
John Pielmeier (screenwriter), Michael Caton-Jones (director)
ProductsTelevision miniseries

World Without End is a 2012 television miniseries consisting of eight episodes, adapted from Ken Follett's 2007 novel. It acts as a follow-up to the 2010 miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, which was also based on Follett’s writing. Set a century and a half later, the narrative centers on the English town of Kingsbridge during the early stages of the Hundred Years' War and the outbreak of the Black Death. The ensemble cast features Cynthia Nixon, Miranda Richardson, Ben Chaplin, Peter Firth, Charlotte Riley, and Tom Weston-Jones. Notably, the miniseries takes creative liberties, differing significantly from the novel in both storyline and character arcs.

Production took place across locations in Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. The script was penned by John Pielmeier, with direction by Michael Caton-Jones.

Overview

Set against the backdrop of 14th-century England, this series explores the experiences of medieval inhabitants amid political turmoil. During Edward III’s reign, England enters into the prolonged conflict known as the Hundred Years' War against France, while Europe faces the catastrophic impact of the Black Death. The plot follows protagonists Caris (Charlotte Riley) and her partner Merthin (Tom Weston-Jones), who endeavor to establish a thriving community that challenges both royal authority and ecclesiastical power.

Cast and characters

Production

Tandem Communications acquired the rights to adapt World Without End concurrently with securing those for The Pillars of the Earth, announcing development in December 2010. The miniseries was produced jointly by Tandem, Scott Free Productions, Canadian Take 5 Productions, and Galafilm. John Pielmeier, who previously adapted The Pillars of the Earth, returned as screenwriter, while Michael Caton-Jones was appointed director in March 2011.

By June 2011, casting was finalized and principal photography commenced in July, primarily at Korda Studios near Budapest, Hungary. There, a medieval village spanning 12,000 m2 was erected on a backlot. Additional filming took place in locations across Slovakia and Austria.

Broadcast

The series was picked up by major international broadcasters including Sat.1 (Germany), Channel 4 (UK), Shaw Media (Canada), Cuatro (Spain), ORF (Austria), Sky Italia, DR (Denmark), and TV2 (Hungary). In the United States, after Starz was unable to obtain distribution rights, ReelzChannel secured the series and premiered it on 17 October 2012. In Canada, it debuted on Showcase on 4 September 2012. Australian viewers saw it broadcast on ABC starting 7 December 2014 in combined episodes running approximately 90 minutes each.

For American and Italian audiences, the eight-hour narrative was reformatted into four two-hour installments. In Italy, it aired under the title Mondo Senza Fine on Sky Movies from 11 November to 2 December 2012, available both dubbed in Italian and in its original English audio.

Home media releases

World Without End became available through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on December 4, 2012, offered in both DVD and Blu-ray editions. These two-disc collections feature the special segment "The Making Of Ken Follett's World Without End".

External links

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