William the Conquerer and King Harold are set for the big screen in the first ever cinematic exploration of the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
The script, currently being penned by historical epic script-monger extraordinaire William Nicholson (Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age), focuses on the relationship between the two great warriors of the age. King Harold of England and William The Conqueror were initially comrades, becoming bitter enemies destined to fight to the death at the climactic Battle of Hastings.
We can only hope that NIcholson finds room for some of the infamous stories of William's life: born a bastard, he seized the Dukedom of Normandy from his legitimate brother; dragged his cousin around the room by her hair until she agreed to marry him; kept Harold prisoner and forced him to swear to support William's claim to England's throne, and formed a strategic alliance with the Vikings to distract Harold from his invasion.
Nicholson unveiled the crux of his story: “In 1066, character is revealed above all in battle, which gives me the thrilling chance to craft an epic action story that delivers on a human scale.” Despite only being in the development stages, the film is being fast-tracked, with producers hoping to begin filming this year.
So, who do think could play the notorious William and the luckless King Harold?