Richard Dormer left Game of Thrones heroically as Beric Dondarrion and is now heading to the Night Watch. No not that one. Dormer has just been cast in BBC America’s Discworld adaptation The Watch. The network has also announced a number of other cast members for the project based on the Terry Pratchett novels. 

According to BBC America, the adaptation is set in the “fictional city of Ankh-Morpork, where crime has been legalized, The Watch is a uniquely anarchic drama. The series centers on a group of misfit cops as they rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe. The Watch is an inclusive genre-bending series inspired by the legendary ‘City Watch’ subset of Sir Terry Pratchett’s bestselling “Discworld” novels and its many iconic characters.”

In the series, Richard Dormer will play Sam Vimes, Captain of The Watch, disempowered by a broken society that’s reduced his department’s jurisdiction to almost nothing. In the book series, Vimes was born into poverty and rises through the ranks and society to become captain. Dormer says of the role, “I’m so thrilled to be part of this brilliant madness and mayhem! I was immediately drawn to the multitude of layers to Sam Vimes, and I find the dynamic between him and his band of disenfranchised comrades very compelling.”

RELATED: Adam Hugill Cast in THE WATCH, BBC America’s Adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld

As previously announced, Adam Hugill is playing Constable Carrot Ironfoundersson, an idealistic new recruit, raised by dwarfs, but really a human abandoned at birth. Rounding out the cast of The Watch is Jo Eaton-Kent as Constable Cheery, the ingenious non-binary forensics expert, ostracized by their kin and finding a new home and identity. Marama Corlett is the mysterious Corporal Angua who is tasked with Carrot’s training and keeping the rookie alive.  Lara Rossi plays the formidable Lady Sybil Ramkin, last scion of Ankh-Morpork’s nobility, who’s trying to fix the city’s wrongs with her chaotic vigilantism. Sam Adewunmi is the wounded and wronged Carcer Dun, out to hijack destiny itself, take control of the city and exact a terrible revenge on an unjust reality.

Craig Viveiros is serving as director and executive producer on the show. Simon Allen is the lead writer and executive producer. The Watch is being co-produced by BBC America and the late author’s production company Narrativia. 

The Discworld novels take place on a flat planet which is balanced on the backs of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle. No word if this adaptation will comment on or show that part but how can you ignore Sir Terry Pratchett? We’ll see. 

Production on the eight episode series begins at the end of the month in Cape Town, South Africa and the show is set to premiere on BBC America’s 2020 slate alongside Doctor Who and Killing Eve.

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