The Forsytes, the period drama starring Doctor Who‘s Millie Gibson, has had its future confirmed before its first season has even aired.
The upcoming series, based on John Galsworthy’s collection of novels, concerns the lives of the wealthy titular family. Set in 1880s London, the drama tells a story of “love, loyalty, ambition and betrayal”.
After being acquired by 5 back in March, The Forsytes has now had its future confirmed beyond its first season, with Deadline reporting that the period drama has already been renewed for a second season.
Furthermore, the series has reportedly added Richard Rankin, Sarah Alexander and Nia Ashi to its stacked cast for the second season, with filming on the next batch of episodes already underway in Bristol.
The reported developments come before the first episode of the series has even aired, though it has been said that The Forsytes will premiere in the UK before the end of the year, so we can likely expect a release date in the near future.
Courtesy of Mammoth Screen and MASTERPIECE//Channel 5
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Gibson, who portrays Irene in the period drama, is joined in the cast by Joshua Orpin, Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Stephen Moyer, Tuppence Middleton and Eleanor Tomlinson, with Galsworthy’s novels being adapted by Debbie Horsfield.
“Sticklers for tradition and status, the older Forsytes prize duty and reputation above all else, whilst the younger members rail against the rigidity of family expectations,” reads the logline, which also teases an inner battle between the “head” and the “heart”.
BBC
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Galsworthy’s works were previously adapted into a two-season television series by ITV across 2002 and 2003, with The Forsyte Saga featuring Gina McKee and Damian Lewis in the lead roles of Irene and Soames.
“Flawless in every respect” wrote one IMDb user of the 2002 series as they deemed it “one of the best productions” they had seen, while another viewer described the period drama as “engrossing”.
The Forsytes does not yet have a release date.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.