With Lost back in the air for its 20th anniversary, and the wait for Yellowjackets Season 3 stretching on, you might be looking for your next desert island TV fix. And the BBC has picked up your message in a bottle: the broadcaster (along with Australian streamer Stan) is preparing to strand a cast of kids on a faraway shore in a new four-part series take on Lord Of The Flies. William Golding’s novel is being adapted by none other than the perpetually-busy Jack Thorne, with director Marc Munden behind the camera. While the series was announced last year, new details are emerging now that it’s started filming in Malaysia.
Most notably, Hans Zimmer has signed on to provide a score – along with Kara Talve – meaning this take on the castaway tale should sound suitably epic. “Hans has already shared his first sketches for the score, which are hugely inspiring. We are honoured to be working with him,” says executive producer Joel Wilson. Plus, after an open casting call, the cast of youngsters has been confirmed: David McKenna will play Piggy; Winston Sawyers is Ralph; Lox Pratt is Jack; Isaac Talbut is Simonl; Thomas Connor is Roger; Noah and Cassius Flemyng are twins Sam and Eric; Cornelius Brandreth is Maurice; Tom Page-Turner is Bill.
I wonder if he’ll do a more traditional score for this. Many of his recent projects have been more like soundscapes. The Dune soundtracks are incredible, and very cleverly constructed, but I don’t know if they’d suit a BBC Lord of the Flies.