Game of Thrones star Sean Bean takes on another bloody and brutal historical drama in trailer for new Disney Plus murder mystery

Shardlake
(Image credit: Disney Studios)

Disney Plus has just unveiled the first trailer for its upcoming historical drama Shardlake starring 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Game of Thrones’ Sean Bean and 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Masters of the Air’s Anthony Boyle, and it looks like a bloodyš“„§ good time. 

Set in Tudor England during the dissolutionꦦ of the monasteries, the series follows Matthew Shardlake (Arthur Hughes), a "crook-backed" lawyer with an acute sense of justice who works for Henry VIII’s scheming right-hand man Lord Thomas Cromwell (Bean), and Shardlake's cocky assistantą·“ Jack Barak (Boyle). 

The trailer begins with the brothšŸ…ers of the church admitting to Shardlake that they are afraid of both him and Cromwell, which sets an eerie tone before we get a shot of a devious-looking Bean as the Lord. Soon it becomes apparent that a murder has taken place and Cromwell wants Sharꦉdlake and Barak to investigate, leading them on a whodunnit adventure. But before they leave the Lord utters, "You will not fail me… the house must fall," making us think that there is more to this murder investigation than what meets the eye. Watch the full trailer below.

The official synopsis from Disney reads: "Shardlake’s sheltered life as a lawyer is turned upside down when Cromwell instructs him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea. The commissioner was gathering evidence to close the monastery and it is now imperative for Cromwell’šŸ’›s own political survival that Shardlake both solves the murder and closes the monastery. He leaves Shardlake in no doubt that failure šŸ¦‹is not an option. Cromwell insists that he is accompanied by Barak to Scarnsea, where the duo are met with hostility, suspicion, and paranoia by the monks who fear for their future and will seemingly stop at nothing to preserve their order."

The four-part drama, based on the first novel from author C.J. Sansom’s best-selling book series, is directed by Justin Chadwick - best known for helming the 16th-century historical drama 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Natalie Portman as Henry VIII’s secšŸ’¦ond šŸŽ¶wife Anne Boleyn.

The series' cꩵast also incā­•ludes Babou Ceesay, Paul Kaye, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Peter Firth, Matthew Steer, Irfan Shamji, David Pearse, Miles Barrow, Mike Noble, and Kimberley Nixon.

Shardlake does not yet have a release date but will be available to stream on Disney Plus as soon as it drops. For more, check out our guide to the other best 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:new TV shows coming your way.

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and enꦓtertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue femin🐲ist horror magazine.