The 1640s, the time of the English Civil War. Colonel Beverley, a Royalist, squire of Arnwood and High Keeper of the New Forest, leaves to join the King’s army. He dies at the Battle of Naseby, leaving his two sons and two daughters in the care of their Aunt Judith. A troop of Parliamentary soldiers and their Leveller preacher, Abel Corbould, come to Arnwood. The four Beverley children are smuggled out of Arnwood, taken to Jacob Armitage, a royalist forester’s home in the forest and hidden there. The children encounter various adventures, become involved with the family of Parliament’s new Intendant of the New Forest, Heatherstone, and eventually join a conspiracy to help King Charles, who has escaped from captivity.

Series is set in 43 AD as the Romans seek to crush the Celts in Britain

Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and European pay-TV company Sky are partnering on a major original drama series, “Britannia,” the first co-production between the companies. The 10-part series has been written by Jez Butterworth, whose stage play “Jerusalem” won a Tony for Mark Rylance, and whose movie credits include “Spectre,” Johnny Depp’s “Black Mass” and Tom Cruise’s “Edge of Tomorrow.”

The series will star Kelly Reilly (“True Detective,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Bastille Day”), David Morrissey (“The Walking Dead,” “The Hollow Crown”), Zoe Wanamaker (“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” “My Family”) and Stanley Weber (“Outlander”).

The show is set in AD 43 “as the Roman imperial army returns to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia — a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld,” according to a press statement. “Arch-rivals Kerra (Reilly) and Antedia (Wanamaker) must set their differences to one side in order to combat the terrifying Roman invasion, led by the towering figure of Aulus Plautius (Morrissey), as it cuts a swath through the Celtic resistance.”

Butterworth said: “Besides being hard, hard warriors, the Celts have a belief system which makes them almost invincible. It’s a deep, heavy magic. Last time the Romans tried to invade, the mighty Julius Caesar took one look, turned round and went straight home. Now, almost a century later, the Romans are back.”

He added: “Here we have a war between two pantheons — the Roman gods vs. the Celtic gods….And we see it all from a human perspective, of individual survival, ambition, courage, lust, loss, revenge.”

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We here at KellyReilly.org are wishing Kelly the happiest of birthday’s today!

EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Reilly is set to board event TV series Britannia, which charts the Roman invasion of what would become Great Britain in 43 A.D. and the rise of iconic female warrior Boudicca. The eight-part series, which is now set up at Sky, will follow the growing relationship between Boudicca and Roman Consul Cassius who ultimately unite to lead an insurgency against Roman Emperor Claudius. Reilly plays the key character of Kerra.

Britannia is being pitched as a high-end earthy swords and sandals show that can appeal to audiences. Kari Skogland (Vikings; House Of Cards) is directing. Star Wars‘ Rick McCallum is producing. Sky’s Anne Mensah exec produces alongside One Three Television’s Anne Thomopoulos, Vertigo’s James Richardson and Terry Cafolla. Filming starts in May.

Reilly has the Idris Elba-Richard Madden actioner Bastille Day coming out later this month. The Studio Canal pic opens in the UK on April 22; focus is releasing domestically. The pic, directed by James Watkins, follows a young artist and former CIA agent who embark on an anti-terrorist mission in France.

Via Deadline

Eee! This is so exciting to hear, hopefully we’ll see Kelly back on our screens again very soon then. Can’t wait to find out more about it once filming begins.