The latest Bernard Cornwell adaptation is streaming now.
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Winter King season 1.*
The first chapter of The Winter King has drawn to a close on ITVX, leaving viewers to wonder whether we’ll see more from Iain De Caestecker’s Arthur – and the other inhabitants of ancient Britain.
The drama series introduced viewers to a number of complex protagonists, including druidess Nimue (Ellie James) and aspiring warrior Derfel (Stuart Campbell), across a suspenseful 10-episode run.
Their stories are only just getting started, with a wealth more material from Bernard Cornwell’s trilogy of novels – known as The Warlord Chronicles – to mine from in potential future instalments.
Here’s everything we know so far about the future of The Winter King on ITVX and MGM+.
Will there be The Winter King season 2?
It is yet to be confirmed whether The Winter King will return for a second season – but the creative team behind the show have lofty ambitions for a five-season run.
Whether that comes to fruition will depend on just how popular the series proves to be, with strong viewership being vital for a show with such a large cast and detailed sets. Those don’t come cheap!
ITV will likely be monitoring the show’s engagement closely in the coming weeks and months before announcing a decision. We’ll update this page when word comes in.
What could happen in a potential The Winter King season 2?
The Winter King season 1 left plenty of story on the table for future seasons to adapt.
The first 10 episodes ended roughly two-thirds of the way through the first book, leaving us right on the cusp of a major battle between Arthur, his allies and the nefarious forces of Gorfydd and Gundleus.
Speaking on ITVX’s official The Winter King podcast, screenwriter Kate Brooke also expressed a desire to include Derfel’s experiences at Benoic in a potential second season – which see the introduction of a distinct version of Lancelot.
These events have been shuffled slightly in the chronology of the story, with their placement in the book coming prior to the young warrior’s arrival at the Isle of the Dead (seen in season 1).
Once these pivotal elements of The Winter King novel are covered, the screenwriters can turn their gaze to the other two books in The Warlord Chronicles trilogy – those being Enemy of God and Excalibur.
Who could be in the cast of a potential The Winter King season 2?
If The Winter King were to be renewed for a second season, it’s likely we’d see the return of much of the cast – including Iain De Caestecker in the lead role of Arthur Pendragon and Jordan Alexandra as his wife and fellow strategist, Guinevere.
We’d expect to see him joined by co-stars Stuart Campbell and Ellie James, as Derfel and Nimue respectively, while Nathaniel Martello-White is also a probable candidate to return as the druid Merlin.
Other members of the supporting cast include: Valene Kane as Morgan, Simon Merrells as Gundleus, Ken Nwosu as Sagramor, Andrew Gower as Sansum, Matt Mella as Lanval, Aneirin Hughes as Gorfydd and Emily John as Ceinwyn.
Craig Parkinson could have an expanded role in later episodes as Saxon warlord Aelle, who features only briefly in the first season after some foreshadowing of his role.
Alas, it’s unlikely we’d see more from Steven Elder’s Bedwin, Billy Postlethwaite’s Cadwys, Daniel Ings’ Owain or Eddie Marsan’s Uther – owing to their fates in the first run of episodes.
Is there a trailer for The Winter King season 2?
Not just yet, but we’ll update this page when new footage arrives.
In the meantime, if you’re hungry for more The Winter King content, check out the official companion podcast wherever you listen.
The Winter King is available to stream on ITVX. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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