David Farnor | On 26, Apr 2022

A widow, a vicar and a mythical beast. That’s the starting point for Apple TV+ thriller The Essex Serpent, which slithers onto our screens this May.

Written by Anna Symon and directed by Clio Barnard, the series follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marriage, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area. She forms an unlikely bond with the village vicar, but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature.

Claire Danes stars as Cora and Tom Hiddleston as Will, with Clémence Poésy and Frank Dillane co-starring as Stella Ransome, Will’s sympathetic wife who becomes friends with Cora, and Luke Garrett, a pioneering young surgeon who meets his intellectual match in Cora. You can see them all go head to head on 13th May, when the first two episodes premiere on Apple TV+, with episodes then arriving weekly. In the meantime, here’s the trailer, packed with menace, metaphors and some steamy mutual attraction:

 

First look: Apple unveils new images of The Essex Serpent

22nd March 2022

Apple TV+ has unveiled new images of The Essex Serpent, arriving in May, and they give us a first look at its starry cast in action.

Written by Anna Symon, the series follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marriage, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area. She forms an unlikely bond with the village vicar, but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature.

Set in 1893, and based on Sarah Perry’s book published in 2016, the project stars Claire Danes as Cora and Tom Hiddleston as Will, with Clémence Poésy and Frank Dillane co-starring as Stella Ransome, Will’s sympathetic wife who becomes friends with Cora, and Luke Garrett, a pioneering young surgeon who meets his intellectual match in Cora.

You can see them fully in action on 13th May, when the first two episodes arrive on Apple TV+, with episodes then arriving weekly. The series is directed by BAFTA Award-nominee Clio Barnard, with Barnard and Symon also serving as executive producers alongside Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Patrick Walters.

 

Clémence Poésy, Frank Dillane join Apple TV+ drama The Essex Serpent

13th April 2021

Clémence Poésy are Frank Dillane are leading the latest additions to The Essex Serpent, as filming begins on the Apple TV+ drama.

Written by Anna Symon, the series follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marriage, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area.

Set in 1893, and based on Sarah Perry’s book published in 2016, the project stars Claire Danes as Cora and Tom Hiddleston as Will Ransome, the trusted leader of the small rural community. Now, they’ve got some company, with Tenet’s Clémence Poésy and Fear the Walking Dead’s Frank Dillane playing Stella Ransome, Will’s sympathetic wife who becomes friends with Cora, and Luke Garrett, a pioneering young surgeon who meets his intellectual match in Cora.

Also joining the cast are Hayley Squires (Adult Material, I, Daniel Blake) as Martha, a servant in Cora’s household and her confidante who is also a young socialist, and Jamael Westman (Animals) as Dr George Spencer, Luke’s right hand man.

The series is directed by Clio Barnard, who serves as an exec-produce along with Symon.
 

First look: Tom Hiddleston joins Apple TV+ drama Essex Serpent

17th March 2021

Tom Hiddleston has joined the cast of Apple TV+ drama The Essex Serpent.

Written by Anna Symon, the series follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marraige, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area.

Set in 1893, and based on Sarah Perry’s book published in 2016, the project was announced in August last year, with Keira Knightley initially attached until the coronavirus pandemic led her to drop out. In her place is Claire Danes, who will play the lead role of Cora.

Now, she’s got some company, with Tom Hiddleston joining the cast as Will Ransome, the trusted leader of a small rural community. Hiddleston is no stranger to the small screen, having just been on the small screen in Disney+ series Loki and previously starred in BBC One’s The Night Manager and BBC Two’s The Hollow Crown. Also confirmed for the cast are David Streames and Deepica Stehpen.

The series will be directed by Clio Barnard, who serve as an exec-produce along with Symon.

 

Keira Knightley pulls out of Apple TV+’s The Essex Serpent

20th October 2020

Keira Knightley has pulled out of the Apple TV+ adaptation of The Essex Serpent.

Written by Sarah Perry, the series follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marraige, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area.

Set in 1893, and based on the book published in 2016, the project was announced in August, with Knightley set to star. Within a couple of months, though, Knightley has reportedly withdrawn from the project, due to family reasons indirectly related to the pandemic.

A representative told The Daily Mail that “there wasn’t a comfortable scenario for Keira that could be put in place for an extended period of childcare required for the four-and-a-half-month production”.

As a result, the project is now on hiatus.
 

Keira Knightley tackles The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+

25th August 2020

Keira Knightley is heading to Apple TV+ for her next project, an adaptation of The Essex Serpent.

The Colette and The Imitation Game star will take the lead role in the period drama, as well as executive produce the adaptation. Written by Sarah Perry, it follows Cora, a newly widowed woman who, have been released from her abusive marraige, moves from Victorian London to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex. There, she becomes intrigued by the superstition that the mythical creature “the Essex Serpent” has returned to the area.

Set in 1893, the book was published in 2016. The series is produced by See-Saw Films (Top of the Lake) will be directed by Dark River and The Selfish Giant director Clio Barnard. Penning the script is Mrs Wilson writer Anna Symon.

Knightley, Barnard and Symon will exec produce alongside Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Patrick Walters, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman. Andrea Cornwell will serve as producer. It is the latest drama for Apple TV+ to hail from the UK, following Suspicion and Slow Horses.

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