'Winter King' drama looks behind the scenes at Arthurian legend's iconic

 According to executive producers Julie Gardner and Lachlan MacKinnon Their version of Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles book series.

The Winter King, offers a new perspective on the centuries-old Arthurian legend while retaining much of what makes it a timeless tale.

The fantasy drama, which airs on MGM+ on Sunday nights, is set in the fifth century.

The plot follows Arthur Pendragon (Iain De Caestecker), the illegitimate son of High King Uther (Eddie Marsan), from pariah to leader.

Ellie James plays Nimue, Nathaniel Martello-White plays Merlin, Valene Kane plays Morgan, and Jordan Alexandra plays Guinevere.

"We were extremely fortunate to have these rights." Gardner told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.

"But, also, I had loved -- all of us had loved -- the Arthurian legend told through all the iterations, through decades and generations beyond," she added.

Gardner thinks the Arthurian stories -- with their themes of romance, fraught family relationships and political division

"It's looking at what it is to be human and the universal personal choices we all make," she said.

Season 1 of The Winter King kicks off with the new backstory of Arthur's banishment from his father's kingdom

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