'Wolf Hall: The Mirror & the Light' First Look Takes Us Back to King Henry VIII's Court

When people think of period dramas, they often think of something very specific: lavish stories set in Jolly Olde England, usually centered around the murderous whims of King Henry VIII, the generally tragic lives of his wives who deserved better, or the triumphal reign of his second daughter, Elizabeth. And if there is a gold standard for what those sorts of Tudor dramas are supposed to be and do, it is the PBS miniseries, Wolf Hall. 

A six-part drama that originally aired in 2015, the series featured an enviable prestige pedigree cast and racked up eight Emmy nominations. It was one of the last recent PBS series not named Downton Abbey to find significant award-season success. That it would return for a second outing always seemed obvious; the question was only ever when. Thankfully, that time has finally arrived, and filming is nearly complete on the highly anticipated sequel Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. 

Based on Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel’s critically acclaimed trilogy of novels, Wolf Hall tells the story of Thomas Cromwell, one of the most remarkable and influential figures in English history. Born a blacksmith’s son in Surrey, he rose to tremendous power in the court of King Henry VIII, ultimately becoming his most trusted advisor. Cromwell was a key architect of the Protestant Reformation in England. As such, he was primarily responsible for the dissolution of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the fall of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, several years later. 

The original Wolf Hall adapted the first two books in Mantel’s series — Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies — which ended with Anne Boleyn’s execution and the rise of Jane Seymour. The Mirror and the Light will adapt the final novel in the trilogy, which chronicles the events of the last four years of Cromwell’s life, a rapid downward spiral that concludes with his own beheading in July of 1540. 

The story picks up in May of 1536. Anne Boleyn is dead, and Henry settles into a new marriage with his third queen, Jane Seymour. Cromwell, wily as ever, has survived the bloodbath and continues his climb to wealth and power. But Cromwell is also a man with no great family behind him and no private army to protect his interests. He must rely on his wits to survive and frequently finds himself caught between his desire to do what is right and his instinct to survive. But in the wake of Henry VIII executing his queen, no one is truly safe. 

As you can see from the first look images released by Masterpiece and the BBC, the bulk of the original series cast has returned for this sequel, including stars Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) as Cromwell, Damian Lewis (A Spy Among Friends) as King Henry VIII, and Kate Phillips (Miss Scarlet) as Jane Seymour. Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) will reprise his role as Cardinal Wolsey — one has to assume in flashback or ghost form — and Lilit Lesser (Domina) as Princess Mary, Henry's daughter with his first wife Catherine of Aragon.

Other returning cast members include Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Artful Dodger) as Rafe Sadler, Joss Porter (Humans) as Richard Cromwell, James Larkin (Black Mirror) as Master Treasurer Fitzwilliam, Richard Dillane (Argo) as the Duke of Suffolk, Will Keen (His Dark Materials) as Archbishop Cranmer, and Hannah Steele (The Night Manager) as Mary Shelton.

The roster of new faces joining the sequel cast is equally as impressive, including Dame Harriet Walter (Archie) as Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, and the last surviving Plantagenet princess, and Timothy Spall (The Sixth Commandment) as Thomas Howard, the ambitious Duke of Norfolk who was ultimately willing to let not one but two nieces put their heads on the block for his ambition. 

Other new members of the ensemble cast include Alex Jennings (The Crown) as Stephen Gardiner, Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Legends of Tomorrow) as Bess Oughtred, Lydia Leonard (Gentleman Jack) as Lady Jane Rochford, Charlie Rowe (Vanity Fair) as Gregory Cromwell, Harry Melling (The Queen’s Gambit) as Thomas Wriothesley, Corentin Fila (Being 17) as Christophe, Tom Mothersdale (Bodies) as Richard Riche, Karim Kadjar (Leave to Remain) as Eustache Chapuys, Lucy Russell (3 Body Problem), as Lady Anne Shelton, Will Tudor (Industry) as Edward Seymour, and Viola Prettejohn (The Witcher) as Mary Fitzroy. 

Here's the series description. 

Eagerly awaited and years in the making, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will trace the final four years of Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Cromwell is as complex as he is unforgettable: a politician and a fixer, a diplomat and a father, a man who both defied and defined his age.

The Mirror and the Light reunites the creative team from the BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning first series. It is directed by seven-time BAFTA award winner Peter Kosminsky (The Undeclared War), adapted for television by Academy Award nominee Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). 

The series is a Playground and Company Pictures coproduction for the BBC and Masterpiece. It will be distributed internationally by Banijay Rights. Executive Producers are Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley for Playground; Lucy Richer and Kosminsky for the BBC, and Susanne Simpson for Masterpiece. 

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light will air on the BBC and Masterpiece and be available to stream on BBC iPlayer, the PBS App, the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel and PBS.org. The series does not yet have a confirmed premiere date, but it is not expected to arrive in America until 2025.