‘The Forsyte Saga’ Returning to PBS Masterpiece!!

The Forsyte Saga, a trilogy of 20th century British novels that have been fertile ground for TV adaptations, are returning to PBS Masterpiece for a new adaptation. The generational saga will feature an extensive ensemble cast, including Stephen Moyer, Tuppence Middleton, and Millie Gibson. Deadline reports that the series is preparing to film next month in England, Wales, and Italy.

Joining Moyer (True Blood), Middleton (Mank), and Gibson (Doctor Who) in the series are Francesca Annis (Dune), Danny Griffin (The Gentlemen), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark), Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean), Joshua Orpin (Titans) Tom Durant Pritchard  (Baby Reindeer), Josette Simon  (Anatomy of a Scandal), Jamie Flatters  (Avatar: The Way Of Water), Owen Igiehon  (Disclaimer), and Susan Hampshire; Hampshire starred in the BBC‘s original version of The Forsyte Saga in 1967. The six-episode series will not be a straight adaptation of the books, says writer and executive producer Debbie Horsfield, who adapted Poldark for the BBC “Our show is in part a prequel to the events of the first book, but also an opportunity to expand the world and place the women of the family centre stage. It’s a love letter to the original story while offering an exciting new perspective.”

What Is ‘The Forsyte Saga’?

The Forsyte Saga consists of three novels and two brief interludes written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Galsworthy between 1906 and 1922. It depicts the trials and tribulations of three generations of an upper-middle-class British family. The first novel was adapted as the film That Forsyte Woman in 1949, with Errol Flynn and Greer Garson, but the series’ epic sweep and massive cast of characters has made television the natural home of a faithful adaptation. The series was first adapted into a 26-part series by the BBC in 1967, with a cast headlined by Kenneth More; that version was an enormous hit in the UK, and became very popular in the US when it was eventually broadcast by PBS. PBS and Masterpiece later comissioned a remake of the series in 2002, which starred Damian Lewis, Ioan Gruffudd, and Corin Redgrave.

The Forsyte Saga will be directed by Meenu Gaur (World on Fire) and Annetta Laufer (Doctor Who‘s “Eve of the Daleks“). Sheena Bucktowonsing, Horsfield, Gaur, Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, and Susanne Simpson for Masterpiece will executive produce. Sarah Lewis will produce the series.