David Farnor | On 11, Aug 2018

“Might be a case coming… a big one.” That’s the sound of John Goodman getting our attention in new BBC and Netflix series Black Earth Rising.

The international thriller, written, directed and produced by The Honourable Woman’s Hugo Blick, is about the prosecution of international war crimes and the West’s relationship with contemporary Africa.

Goodman will be joined by Chewing Gum’s Michaela Coel, leading a cast that includes Olivier award-winners Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter & the Cursed Child) and Harriet Walter (The Crown, Downton Abbey), alongside Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Devil’s Advocate), Lucian Msamati (Taboo, Kiri) and Abena Ayivor (A United Kingdom).

Playing out across the UK, Europe, Africa and the USA, the story centres on Kate Ashby (Coel) who was rescued as a young child during the Rwandan genocide and adopted by Eve Ashby (Walter), a world class British prosecutor in international criminal law. Kate was raised in Britain and, now in her late 20s, she works as a legal investigator in the law chambers of Michael Ennis (Goodman). When Eve takes on a case at the International Criminal Court, prosecuting an African militia leader, the story detonates, pulling Michael and Kate into a journey that will upend their lives forever.

Black Earth Rising will broadcast on BBC Two this autumn, and will premiere on Netflix internationally outside the UK. Here’s the trailer:

 

John Goodman and Michaela Coel to star in BBC and Netflix’s Black Earth Rising

2nd May 2018

John Goodman and Michaela Coel will star in Black Earth Rising, the latest co-production between the BBC and Netflix.

The BBC Two series, written by BAFTA-winner Hugo Blick (The Honourable Woman), explores the prosecution of international war crimes and the West’s relationship with contemporary Africa.

The eight-part thriller was Add to Watchlist