Starz to premiere Ridley Scott-produced epic Pillars of the Earth this summer

Scene from The Pillars of the Earth
Scene from The Pillars of the Earth

Starz is set to premiere a ground-breaking eight-hour adaptation of Ken Follett’s bestselling novel The Pillars of the Earth, which was produced by Tandem Communications and Ridley and Tony Scott, this summer on the cable network.

The $40 million series is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes, Into the West) and was shot on location in Hungary and Austria with a cast including Ian McShane (Deadwood, Sexy Beast), Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist, A Knight’s Tale), Matthew Macfadyen (Ridley Scott’s upcoming Robin Hood, Pride and Prejudice), Eddie Redmayne (The Yellow Handkerchief, The Good Shepherd), Hayley Atwell (The Duchess), Sarah Parish (Merlin), Donald Sutherland (Dirty Sexy Money, The Italian Job), Alison Pill (Milk) and Gordon Pinsent (Away From Her).

Starz plans to air the series this July, under the Starz Originals banner, kicking off with a two-hour premiere, followed by six one-hour episodes.

The Pillars of the Earth is a sweeping epic of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty, a sensuous, spirited story set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles in 12th Century England. Ken Follett’s book, first published in 1989, has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and been published in more than 30 languages. The 60th selection in Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club, the books sold upwards of 1.4 million copies in the U.S. the day after it was featured on her show in 2007.

Find out more about the making of the the series at www.the-pillars-of-the-earth.tv.