HISTORY Developing ‘Knightfall’ TV Series with Jeremy Renner
Pursuing its push for more quality scripted series following the success of “Vikings,” the History Channel is planning to develop the story of the Knights Templar into a TV series. Jeremy Renner’s production company is reportedly behind the project.
“Knightfall” will be a joint project between HISTORY, The Combine, Midnight Radio and A+E Studios. The series is created by Don Handfield and Richard Rayner with Jeremy Renner as executive producer. Other names involved are Jeff Pinker, Andre Nemec, Josh Applebaum and Scott Rosenberg, who will all serve as executive producers.
While there are no casting announcements as yet, as Renner will only be working behind the scenes, the show will be touted as an hour-long drama that will chronicle the formation, persecution and the eventual downfall of the Knights Templar. As history books have cited, the knights were burned at the stakes on Friday the 13th in the year 1307 and for more than 700 years, this cursed has carried on.
Should the project get a greenlight to begin production, “Knightfall” will essentially become the second original drama series the cable network commisions. HISTORY has also produced miniseries like “Houdini,” “The Bible,” and “Hatfields and McCoys,” which has earned an Emmy. HISTORY reaches over 96 million subscribers.
Meanwhile, “Knightfall” is the first TV show produced by Jeremy Renner’s production outfit, The Combine. As listed on IMDb the company has done three movies so far, while two projects, are currently in development stages. Renner formed The Combine together with Don Handfield back in 2011.
