Crusoe TV Show Blog

So I wasn’t expecting news this soon for NBC’s fall TV Show Crusoe, but it appeas as though NBC wants to get a head start on their big announcements for the show. Over at The Futon Critic they have an article releasing some key information for what is to come from Crusoe this fall. Here is a snippet:

NBC announced that Sam Neill (”The Tudors,” “Jurassic Park”), Sean Bean (”The Lord of the Rings”) and Joss Ackland (”Lethal Weapon 2″) will join the cast of NBC’s new landmark series, “Crusoe” an epic and ambitious take on Daniel Defoe’s legendary tale.

“Crusoe” finds the dashing and resourceful Crusoe (Philip Winchester, “Thunderbirds”) after many years of being a castaway on a desert island with his companion Friday (casting to follow). Written by Stephen Gallagher (”Eleventh Hour”) and directed by Duane Clark (”CSI: NY”), “Crusoe” follows the adventures of the two island dwellers while looking in flashback at Crusoe’s life before he was thrown into an isolated existence filled with danger and adventure.

Among those are his tragic childhood with widower father James (Bean), the blossoming relationship with the love of his life, Susannah (Walton) and his endeavor to transform entrepreneurial aspirations into a business empire under the watchful eye of family friend, Jeremiah Blackthorn (Neill). Overcoming marauding militias, hungry cannibals, wild cats, starvation and apocalyptic lightning storms on his seemingly idyllic island, Crusoe dreams of the day he will be reunited with his beloved family.

Due to film in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the Seychelles, “Crusoe” is a distinctive, dramatic and daring story, laced with humor and plenty of high-octane action.

Neill has been acting, directing, producing and editing for over 30 years. His first feature film was “Sleeping Dogs ” in 1977. He then moved to Australia and his performance in “My Brilliant Career” in 1979 was noticed by British actor James Mason who lobbied for him to get the lead role in “The Final Conflict” in 1981. Because of this, Neill moved to England where he also became famous as the title character in “Reilly: Ace of Spies” in 1983. In 1993, Neill achieved commercial and critical success with the feature films “Jurassic Park “and “The Piano. ” Most recently Neill has been seen in “The Tudors.”

Sean Bean is one of England’s most versatile actors and has held a stellar career spanning every medium for approximately 20 years, including theater, radio, television and movies. Bean’s roles have been varied and convincing such as the angst-ridden villain in “Clarissa,” passionate lovers like Mellors in “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” a rough-and-ready soldier in “Sharpe’s Honor,” a heart-wrenching warrior in “The Lord of the Rings,” and noble Odysseus in “Troy.”

Joss Ackland is a distinguished English actor who has appeared in over one hundred movies, scores of plays, and a plethora of television programs in his six-decade career. Ackland is best known for his role in the feature “White Mischief, the TV production of “Shadowlands” in 1985 in which he played writer C.S. Lewis, and in Lethal Weapon 2 ” in 1989 as the South African heavy. On December 31, 2000, Ackland was named a Commander of the British Empire on the New Year’s Honours List for his 50 years of service to the English stage, cinema and television.

Crusoe is written by Stephen Gallagher, directed by Duane Clark and executive producers are Justin Bodle for Power, Michael Prupas for Muse and Genevieve Hofmeyr for Moonilighting.

Of course we will keep you posted as more information on Crusoe becomes available!

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So I heard this news that one of the first people casted for NBC’s new series Crusoe was for the part of Mrs. Crusoe. But when in the book was there ever a Mrs. Crusoe?  From what I hear from  the UK publication  Daily Mail wrote about Anna Walton being casted as the wife of Robinson Crusoe himself. Anna Walton is currently working on Hellboy 2, but outside of that I can’t say I have heard of her. She is not going to be on the island, so rest assured the story isn’t changing to much. She is actually just going to be in flashbacks of Robinson before he was on the island.

Here is the direct quote from the article from Daily Mail:

Anna Walton, a graduate of the Oxford School of Drama, has been cast as Crusoe’s wife, with the main role of her husband being played by American actor Philip Winchester — who was Edmund, opposite Ian McKellen, in the recent Royal Shakespeare Company production of King Lear. Winchester also played Scott Tracy in the Thunderbirds movie.

His missus will be introduced when Crusoe reflects back on his family and growing up with childhood sweetheart Susanna, mother of their two children.

Later, the show will switch back and forth from Crusoe struggling to survive on the island to Mrs Crusoe struggling to cope back home.

Check back daily for new updates on Crusoe on NBC.

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