Sky will finally be bringing the popular fantasy novel A Discovery of Witches to life.
Nearly a year after the adaptation of Deborah Harkness's debut novel was first commissioned, Bad Wolf Productions — headed up by former Doctor Who producers Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner — have released a video announcement for the show. Watch it below:
Hacksaw Ridge's Teresa Palmer will take the lead role as reluctant witch Diana Bishop, an Oxford alchemical history professor who stumbles on a secret world of vampires and demons existing in the shadows.
Her research into these ancient societies put her into contact with geneticist (and secret vampire) Matthew Clairmont (The Good Wife's Matthew Goode), inspiring the two to join forces to decode a text that may hold the key to maintaining peace between the species.
"Teresa and Matthew perfectly capture my characters – I'm so excited by the casting and how they will bring the books to life," Deborah Harkness said today.
Adapting A Discovery of Witches, the first in Harkness's All Souls Trilogy, will be Mr Selfridge, The Forsyte Saga and Bancroft veteran Kate Brooke.
What to Read Next
"The show is a relationship drama, grounded in emotional truth," Brooke said in a statement. "Diana and Matthew, like all couples who meet and fall in love, at times struggle to understand each other and come to terms with their differences. And if you're a vampire and a witch - those differences are huge."
Filming on A Discovery of Witches will begin in the weeks ahead in Wales, to eventually air on Sky1 and NOW TV. A US network will be announced in the coming months.
Harkness's original book topped the prestigious New York Times Bestsellers List, and was initially intended to be adapted into a feature film by Warner Bros.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
