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The Hollow Crown

  • TV Series
  • 2012–20162012–2016
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 2h 30m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
6.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,098
68
Jeremy Irons, Ben Whishaw, and Tom Hiddleston in The Hollow Crown (2012)
Watch the trailer for a mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV Parts One and Two, and Henry V.
Play trailer1:11
5 Videos
98 Photos
DramaHistoryWar
A mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.A mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.A mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
6.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,098
68
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Stars
      • Anton Lesser
      • Simon Russell Beale
      • Tom Georgeson
    Top credits
    • Stars
      • Anton Lesser
      • Simon Russell Beale
      • Tom Georgeson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
    • Won 4 BAFTA Awards
      • 7 wins & 20 nominations total

    Episodes7

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos5

    Bowl Cuts, Wild Accents, & an Epic Mud Battle: What to Watch After 'The King'
    Clip 4:17
    Bowl Cuts, Wild Accents, & an Epic Mud Battle: What to Watch After 'The King'
    U.S. Trailer
    Trailer 1:11
    U.S. Trailer
    Hollow Crown, The (German Trailer)
    Trailer 1:15
    Hollow Crown, The (German Trailer)
    The Hollow Crown
    Trailer 1:12
    The Hollow Crown
    The Hollow Crown: The Complete Series
    Promo 1:07
    The Hollow Crown: The Complete Series

    Photos98

    Jeremy Irons in Henry IV, Part 1 (2012)
    Jeremy Irons in Henry IV, Part 2 (2012)
    Ben Daniels and Keeley Hawes in The Hollow Crown (2012)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hollow Crown (2012)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hollow Crown (2012)
    Jeremy Irons in Henry IV, Part 1 (2012)
    Jeremy Irons in Henry IV, Part 2 (2012)
    Ben Whishaw in Richard II (2012)
    Tom Hiddleston in Henry V (2012)
    Patrick Stewart in Richard II (2012)
    Simon Russell Beale and Tom Hiddleston in Henry IV, Part 1 (2012)
    Ben Whishaw in Richard II (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anton Lesser
    Anton Lesser
    • Exeter
    4 episodes4 eps • 2012–2016
    Simon Russell Beale
    Simon Russell Beale
    • Falstaff
    3 episodes3 eps • 2012
    Tom Georgeson
    • Bardolph
    3 episodes3 eps • 2012
    John Mackay
    John Mackay
    • Brakenbury
    3 episodes3 eps • 2016
    Tom Hiddleston
    Tom Hiddleston
    • Prince Hal…
    3 episodes3 eps • 2012
    Sophie Okonedo
    Sophie Okonedo
    • Margaret
    3 episodes3 eps • 2016
    James Laurenson
    James Laurenson
    • Westmoreland
    3 episodes3 eps • 2012
    Tom Sturridge
    Tom Sturridge
    • Henry VI
    3 episodes3 eps • 2016
    Julie Walters
    Julie Walters
    • Mistress Quickly
    3 episodes3 eps • 2012
    Alun Armstrong
    Alun Armstrong
    • Northumberland
    2 episodes2 eps • 2012
    Will Attenborough
    Will Attenborough
    • Gloucester
    2 episodes2 eps • 2012
    Conrad Asquith
    Conrad Asquith
    • Bracy
    2 episodes2 eps • 2012
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Richard…
    2 episodes2 eps • 2016
    Ben Daniels
    Ben Daniels
    • Buckingham
    2 episodes2 eps • 2016
    Adrian Dunbar
    Adrian Dunbar
    • Plantagenet
    2 episodes2 eps • 2016
    Alan David
    Alan David
    • Bishop of Ely
    2 episodes2 eps • 2016
    Ian Conningham
    Ian Conningham
    • Peto
    2 episodes2 eps • 2012
    James Fleet
    James Fleet
    • Hastings
    2 episodes2 eps • 2016
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This series marks the second time the BBC has adapted Shakespeare's history plays from Richard II to Richard III. The first was An Age of Kings (1960).
    • Goofs
      Exeter is played by the same actor through the series, but the Exeter in Henry V died more than 20 years before the Wars of the Roses. The Exeter during the Wars of the Roses was a different man entirely.
    • Connections
      Featured in 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2014)

    User reviews30

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A Conquest for a prince to boast of
    "The Hollow Crown" is BBC's magnificent filming of the Shakespeare's second Henriad (Richard II with Henry IV's rise to power, Henry IV, parts I and II, and Henry V). I believe the first three of these have only been filmed in the old 1970s BBC series of Shakespeare's complete works, and although the old series was at its best with its version of Henry IV, "The Hollow Crown" is far above it. Simon Russell Beale is the ideal choice for Falstaff, even with Orson Welles hard on his heels in the Falstaff compilation "Chimes at Midnight", Tom Hiddleston is a great Prince Hal, and Jeremy Irons, never known to err, shines as the guilt-ridden King Henry IV.

    There are some interesting comments on the bonus material for Henry IV, part II that explains why the plays come across so successfully in 2012. Thea Sharrock, director of Henry V, muses that people may be shocked at hearing the actors speak in real surroundings (on location), but of course, that's old hat. Even Olivier anticipated that in 1944 with his Henry V. Moviegoers are not that easily shocked anymore. And although Hiddelston is also mistaken in his claim that it has never been done before, he is right in stating that "Shakespeare is at its best when you speak it like you're making it up." Julie Walters adds, "You've got to speak the lines, not in a stilted isn't-the-verse-beautiful kind of way; it's got to be the way you talk"

    This natural way of speaking the lines, more foreign to British Shakespeare productions than to American ones, accounts for the greatness of "The Hollow Crown".
    helpful•36
    8
    • kaaber-2
    • Oct 9, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 20, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • BBC (United Kingdom)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Hollow Crown: The Wars Of The Roses
    • Filming locations
      • Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Neal Street Productions
      • NBC Universal Television
      • Thirteen / WNET
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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