Television will soon be getting a lot more medieval, as ITV has announced a new thirteen-part series based on the epic poem 'Beowulf', set to begin filming in April of next year. Described as “a western set in the Dark Ages of Britain’s mythic past,” the fantasy adventure will be looking challenge HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ as the most action packed series on television.

Game of thronesCould a drama based on 'Beowulf' challenge the mighty 'Game of Thrones'

In a press release, ITV said the first episode of the series would see the hero Beowulf who, “after spending many years wandering as a mercenary warrior, returns to Herot to pay his respects to the recently deceased Thane, Hrothgar - the man who raised him. But when Herot is attacked by the terrifying monster Grendl, Beowulf has no choice but to hunt it down, winning favour with Herot’s new female Thane, and the wider community, in the process.”

The series has been created by James Dormer ('Strike Back', 'Wallander', 'Outcast'), Tim Haines and Katie Newman and will be set in the mythical Shieldlands, a place populated by both humans and fantastical creatures.

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Dormer, who will also be executive producing the series said in the press release, “Hundreds of years ago our ancestors listened to the story of Beowulf because it was a great adventure story - it scared them, thrilled them, made them laugh and cry. But they also listened because they recognised themselves and their fears in it."

Adding, "By holding a mirror up to them this story helped define them and thus - us. So it’s incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to make it relevant again for a wide audience - to let them own it again. To let them see themselves in it.”

Filming is expected to begin in April of next year, in and around County Durham and Northumberland. The cast has yet to be announced.

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The drama is the third recent commission by ITV in the fantasy adventure genre. Last month the channel announced ‘Fast Show’ writer Charlie Higson would be writing a drama loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' in 2015.

The channel is also working on another new series, ‘The Frankenstein Chronicles’, starring Sean Bean, which is scheduled to begin shooting in January.