First-look images for BBC’s thrilling new Western have been released, offering a glimpse of Emily Blunt’s transformation into a prim aristocrat.
The actress, is set to play a lady thrown into the wild landscape of mid-America in the late 19th Century, who joins forces with an ex-cavalry scout to reach the new town of Hoxem, all the while embroiled in a tale of love and revenge.
The series, which will air on BBC in the UK and Prime Video in the US, is being written and directed by award-winning Hugo Blick, who also wrote Amazon’s spy thriller The Honourable Woman.
Dramatic! First-look images for BBC’s thrilling new Western have been released, offering a glimpse of Emily Blunt’s transformation into a prim Aristocrat
In the images, Emily embodies the uppity Victorian Lady Cornelia Locke who is a fish out of the water in the rough American West, and will encounter terrifying obstacles to reach her destination.
Another tense image shows Cornelia being protected by her travel companion Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer) after the pair come together for their purposeful journey.
One of the images also features scout Whip, a man ready for action and brandishing a shotgun, as his mission to reach the town collides with Cornelia’s.
Drama! The actress, is set to play a lady thrown into the wild landscape of mid-America in the late 19th Century, who joins forces with an ex-cavalry scout on a quest for revenge
It was first confirmed in May 2021 that Emily would be starring in The English alongside Chaske Spencer.
Written and directed by Blick – who also wrote Amazon’s spy thriller The Honourable Woman – the epic series is set in the mythic mid-American landscape in the year of 1890.
The plot follows Cornelia who arrives into the the West – which is where she meets ex-cavalry scout Whipp – to wreak revenge on the man she sees as responsible for the death of her son.
Determined: One of the images also features scout Whip, a man ready for action and brandishing a shotgun, as his mission to reach the town collides with Cornelia’s
Cornelia and Eli soon discover a shared history which must be defeated at all costs, if either of them are to survive.
The cast also includes Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom), Tom Hughes (Victoria), Stephen Rea (The Honourable Woman), Valerie Pachner (The Kingsman), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Ciaran Hinds (The Terror), Malcolm Storry (The Princess Bride), Steve Wall (The Witcher), Nichola McAuliffe (Tomorrow Never Dies), Sule Rimi (Black Earth Rising) and Cristian Solimeno (Avenue 5).
Speaking about teaming up with Blunt, director Blick gushed: ‘The chance to make a Western with Emily Blunt and the cast is so delicious I’m still wondering if it’s one of those weird dreams we were all having during lockdown…
‘If not, a thrilling, romantic, epic horse-opera is heading to your screen sometime next year, and I couldn’t be more excited.’
So much drama! Cornelia and Eli soon discover a shared history which must be defeated at all costs, if either of them are to survive
Drama Republic’s CEO Greg Brenman – who will executive produce for Drama Republic alongside Blick and Blunt – added of the project: ‘Hugo Blick has created a compelling, modern love story set against the epic landscape of a Western.
‘The English is a true adventure that will tell us as much about the times we live in today as the period in which it is set.’
Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, commented: I’m delighted that Hugo’s beautiful scripts are finally coming to life in The English.
‘With a cast led by the exceptional Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer, I have no doubt that this thrilling and compelling story will be a treat for BBC audiences when it hits our screens.’
The English will premiere this November on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Co-star: British actor Rafe Spall will star alongside Blunt and Spencer (pictured on the 2020 set of The Salisbury Poisonings)
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