‘The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin’ Official Trailer Drops with Stunning Visuals and Action
The Daily Wire is entering the world of scripted fantasy with its new series, The Pendragon Cycle, which is set to premiere on DailyWire+ on January 22.
The show is based on Stephen R. Lawhead’s popular novels and represents the company’s biggest television project so far. Previously, The Daily Wire focused on documentaries and feature films, but this marks a major move into large-scale fantasy storytelling.
The Official Trailer for The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin is here.
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) November 20, 2025
I love this trailer because you have a chance to see so much more of Tom Sharp as Merlin.
Tom came to us an unknown actor, but somehow he found the strength to carry the entire show on his shoulders. I… pic.twitter.com/L40bo4H0ZG
The series was first announced in November 2022, when The Daily Wire acquired the film and TV rights to Lawhead’s books.
In July 2023, co-founder and co-CEO Jeremy Boreing revealed that he would take a leave of absence from the company to co-direct the seven-episode series. Filming took place in Italy and Hungary, with production beginning in Europe in September 2023.
British actor Tom Sharp stars as Merlin, while Brett Cooper plays Ganieda, Rose Reid is Charis, and James Arden portrays Taliesin. Other cast members include Finney Cassidy, Myles Clohessy, Alex Laurence Phillips, Daniel Fathers, and Emree Franklin.
The Pendragon Cycle novels are inspired by Arthurian legend, blending historical settings with fantasy. The original plan was a four-book series, but Lawhead’s publisher initially stopped after the first three, known as The Pendragon Trilogy.
Lawhead later expanded the story with two more books, Pendragon and Grail, which fill in events between the earlier books. The final novel, Avalon, takes place centuries later, and a seventh book, Aurelia, was released in January 2025. The series retells Arthurian legend in Roman-dominated Britain, covering the fourth to sixth centuries.
Boreing shared his thoughts on the adaptation, saying, “The Pendragon Cycle is the culmination of a 10-year vision to create culture, not just to criticize it. Lawhead’s novels present a visceral, masculine Christianity in a world of conflict and mystery.“
He added, “It isn’t saccharine or clean. In short, it is very much like our world. I’m so happy to share our adaptation, and the work of our remarkable cast and crew, with the Daily Wire audience.”
This project represents a major step for The Daily Wire, co-founded by Boreing and Ben Shapiro, into scripted television. While the company has produced feature films and animated series before, The Pendragon Cycle is by far its most ambitious project yet.
Turning a detailed and faith-driven fantasy world into a TV series is a big challenge. Audiences will soon see how the story and characters come to life on screen. Do you plan to watch The Pendragon Cycle when it premieres? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
