Posted in: BBC, Preview, streaming, Trailer, TV, YouTube | Tagged: bbc, bbc america, cable, City Watch, mat berry, matt berry, preview, streaming, teaser, television, terry pratchett, the watch, trailer, tv

The Watch Releases New Teasers; Matt Berry, Wendell Pierce Join Cast

In August, fans of BBC America's upcoming adaptation of Sir Terry Pratchett's (Good Omens) epic comedy-fantasy book series "Discworld" learned that January 2021 was the target month for its debut. Well, at Friday's New York Comic Con-Metaverse panel, they learned- and saw- a whole lot about The Watch. First, we now have a date: the series will premiere on Sunday, January 3 at 8 pm ET. But wait! There's more! Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Selma) and Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows, Year of the Rabbit) are joining the series, voicing the characters of "DEATH," a dry, sardonic Grim Reaper, and "Wayne," a magical speaking sword, respectively. In addition, Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) has been tapped to play Inigo Skimmer, a.k.a. The Duke of Stab, while Ralph Ineson (Chernobyl) will voice Sergeant Detritus, a huge troll made of stone and a member of The City Watch.

Along with the news came some visuals in the form of a teaser trailer and three sneak preview clips of Richard Dormer's (Game of Thrones) Sam Vimes and City Watch in action. Written by Simon Allen (Strike Back, The Musketeers), Joy Wilkinson (Doctor Who), Catherine Tregenna (Torchwood), Amrou Al-Kadhi (Little America) and Ed Hime, the "punk rock" thriller focuses on City Watch as they fight to save their city from outside forces – and itself.

In BBC AMERICA's newest original series, The Watch, an unlikely group of misfits, The City Watch, find the guts to save the world, surprising even themselves in the process. The comedic yet thrilling series pits trolls, werewolves, wizards and other improbable heroes against an evil plot to resurrect a great dragon which would lead to the destruction of life as they know it. From lead writer and executive producer Simon Allen, the modern and inclusive series is inspired by many of Sir Terry Pratchett's famous "Discworld" creations including the captain of The City Watch Sam Vimes (Richard Dormer), the last scion of nobility Lady Sybil Ramkin (Lara Rossi), the naïve but heroic Carrot (Adam Hughill), the mysterious Angua (Marama Corlett) and the ingenious forensics expert Cheery (Jo Eaton-Kent) together with Pratchett's iconic characterization of Death.

Joining Dormer in the 2021 series are Adam Hugill, Jo Eaton-Kent, Marama Corlett, Lara Rossi, Sam Adewunmi, Anna Chancellor, James Fleet, Ingrid Oliver, Ruth Madeley, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Bianca Simone Mannie,  Hugill's Constable Carrot was raised as a dwarf but turned out to be an orphaned human child. He joins the group after pursuing a career in law enforcement. Eaton-Kent's Constable Cheery is an ingenious, nonbinary forensics expert. Corlett's mysterious Corporal Angua is charged with training Carrot and keeping him alive.

Rossi's Lady Sybil Ramkin is the last scion of Ankh-Morpork's nobility, who tries to fix the city via vigilantism. Adewunmi's Carcer Dun is a wounded and wrong man out to take control of the city and exact revenge on an unjust reality. Chancellor's Lord Vetinari is the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, and architect of the city's normalized wrongness and ramshackle system of governance. Fleet's The Archchancellor is wizard, magical advisor, and the Head of the Unseen University. Oliver's Doctor Cruces is the Head of The Assassins' Guild. Ruth Madeley's wiry Throat is the city's best snitch, with a gang of freelance henchmen at her beck and call. Kae-Kazim's Captain John Keel is the former leader of The Watch and mentor to Sam Vimes, determined to save the corrupt and chaotic city. Mannie's cunning Wonse is a wizard hopeful in waiting that is frequently underestimated.

BBC Studios will be sharing production with Narrativia, the production company founded by Pratchett in 2012 and now run by the author's daughter Rhianna Pratchett and his former business manager Rob Wilkins. BBC Studios' Head of Drama London Hilary Salmon (Luther, Silent Witness) will executive produce the series alongside Wilkins, Ben Donald, and Phil Collinson.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!