1st look at Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III in “The Hollow Crown”

PanARMENIAN.Net - The first image has been released from the “The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses,” which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III, Judi Dench as Cecily, Duchess of York and Sophie Okonedo as Queen Margaret, variety said.

The William Shakespeare series, which is a Neal Street co-production with Carnival/NBCUniversal and Thirteen for the BBC and WNET, is filming on location around the U.K. In the U.S., the series will air on PBS.

The series, which follows on from the 2012 BAFTA award-winning “The Hollow Crown” series (which starred Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston), brings the concluding installments of Shakespeare’s History plays to the screen in three further filmed adaptations, “Henry VI” (in 2 parts) and “Richard III.”

The project reunites Cumberbatch with his “Sherlock” co-star Andrew Scott, who played the detective’s nemesis, Moriarty, in the British hit. The cast also includes Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Keeley Hawes and Tom Sturridge. Additional casting was revealed Wednesday, including Michael Gambon, Philip Glenister, Jason Watkins, Samuel West, Stanley Townsend and Adrian Dunbar.

Dominic Cooke, former artistic director of the Royal Court theater, directs. Ben Power, associate director of the National Theater, who previously wrote the screenplays for “Richard II” and “Henry V,” has adapted the cycle for the screen. Rupert Ryle-Hodges also returns as producer.