Re-imagining King Arthur: An interview with the creators of Netflix's Cursed

Netflix’s Cursed is a reimagining of one of the most popular fantasy stories ever: the King Arthur mythos. This series dives into the backstory of the tragic Lady of the Lake - Nimue. Thrust into danger after a violent attack on her home, she journeys with the humble mercenary Arthur (yes, that one) to deliver an ancient sword to Merlin. 

This drama comes from the minds of author Tom Wheeler and comic writer/artist Frank Miller. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview them with other members of the media. The duo had a lot to say about turning their book into a big-budget Netflix series!

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Cursed is based on the legend of King Arthur, which is a very famous story - but it’s also fiction. There were still issues in the medieval times, however - gender discrimination, feuds and killing in the name of the Catholic church. How much of this came up in your research? How much of Cursed is real? 

Tom Wheeler: I think parts (of Cursed) are related to historical issues, in terms of religious persecution and displaced people and that level of bigotry. We’re drawing a lot from fantasy, and finding that a lot of these enduring issues in thousand-year-old stories are sadly still relevant today. I think that’s why these stories are still so strong.

Sometimes, they just come up during writing because they’re happening in the real world - such as Nimue’s people being forced from their home, which gives rise to bigotry and blaming. Whether you’re talking about the Crusades and things that went down, with people being called out and massacres… It was a rough time. We’re looking at a young hero battling these big forces and trying to change things for good. 

Your work is legendary - from your work on Daredevil to Sin City. What drew you to this project, and what did you try to do differently with Cursed?

Frank Miller: I’ve been in love with Arthurian Legend since early childhood, having seen Disney’s The Sword in the Stone. It’s an epic hero story, and that’s really the central purpose of my career. Beyond that, I love the richness in its history, and the elements of magic running through it. Particularly, I’m drawn to the story of Arthur, and how he inherited a barbaric world and brought order and civilisation to it. 

Can you tell us what it’s like to move the story of Cursed from page to screen? Do you have a favourite scene?

Tom Wheeler: There were several moments where I’d walk into set and some favourite chapter - whether it was Nimue on the rock with the wolves or Merlin in his tower - some huge moment would materialise in real life, and you never get used to that. It’s always so exciting. Personally, just working on the book with Frank, who I’m a lifelong fan of, was a great experience. Just talking about the world of King Arthur and his vision of what these characters were like was amazing.

The additional opportunity that Netflix presented us with midway through working on a book, to turn it into a series, just rocketed an already-amazing experience into the stratosphere. We got to take this intimate creative process and bring it to a team of 200 artists and craftspeople to realise this world in three dimensions. 

Frank Miller: Tom was talking about the bigger, more expansive thrills - but I’ve got to talk about the smaller, more intimate side of that. A particular thrill I recall was talking to some of the craftsmen that were there, and asking to see what kind of knives the characters would be carrying. At one point, Tom and I had been discussing a scene, and I asked to see some medieval equipment. They had stuff out right quick, and it was scary. That, to me, adds the kind of texture that makes everything intimate. There’s all kinds of wonderful experiences like that - there’s a reason people get into this experience. 

Tom Wheeler: It was fun. Good time. 

Cursed is a coming-of-age story in medieval times. What message can young adults pick up from this series?

Tom Wheeler: What I’ve always loved about King Arthur and the drawing of the sword from the stone is the power of seizing your own destiny, and the ability to shape your future regardless of the odds. Arthur in every story is a young man thrust into responsibility. In this story, we learn about Nimue, a young woman thrust into responsibility, who will shape and guide the destiny of Arthur and these other legendary characters. This idea was burned into my brain earlier on, and I think it’s still as impactful today.

I think it’s amazing, the example we’re seeing from young people in the United States and around the world - stepping up and protesting for change. Right now, the world is a great example for Nimue and storytellers instead of the other way around, but I think they’re mutually compatible, and they can see a hero stepping into a job they’re not ready for. I think that’s where heroism is born - in those moments when we’re not ready, but keep moving forward anyway. 

Frank Miller: I’d add that a theme running through this story is perseverance. That is the persistence of being willing to see things through, and fight on with the odds against you. To attain the goal of making things better, because it’s indeed a very dark world she’s in. She’s stepping into power and realising that she's going to be a major force in this world - but she has to choose to become it, and make herself become it. 

What was the collaborative process like between the two of you?

Tom Wheeler: We got on the phone and I think I had talked about a few different kinds of worlds - and I just began to circle Arthur. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know who King Arthur was. I’m not sure if it was my mother playing Camelot the musical throughout my house all the time - but It felt like these characters have been with me forever, and John Boorman’s Excalibur had a huge impact on me. I’ve always nurtured this hope that someday I would be able to tell some big fantasy story on a big canvas, but I never dreamed that I’d be able to collaborate with Frank Miller or that we’d get to do this with Netflix on such a scale.

It came from that initial connection over the world, and the excitement to tell it from Nimue’s point of view. Finding that image of the woman reaching out of the water, sword in hand towards Arthur was powerful to both of us. It spoke to a story we never heard, that had magic, tragedy and romance. She was obviously important to these characters, and yet we never knew much about her. Approaching this world from that perspective opened up a lot of opportunities that were exciting to pursue. 

What was the casting process like for these iconic characters? Was it difficult to put a real-life face to them? 

Frank Miller: There’s a lot of talent out there and they seem to present themselves, really. It seemed to me that an awful lot of very good choices presented themselves very quickly. 

Tom Wheeler: Early on, we were talking about Katherine Langford as Nimue. Having someone with her skillset, with a classical look that seemed very ethereal - yet with range and depth - was really exciting and got the ball rolling in a big way. If we had someone who could swing a sword and be our Fae queen, then a lot of pieces began to fall into place. I will say having someone like Peter Mullan, an extraordinary actor and a great, got all the other actors excited because they wanted to work with someone like that.

We have been blessed with a hugely talented cast, who are also just great people. A terrific team, hugely committed to this. I think Gustaf Skarsgård will be a favourite of many. His Merlin is so human and vulnerable, and yet so powerful and ageless. I’m just really excited to introduce these characters to the world. Sometimes, it would take a little bit of time to find the right fit between these characters... but I couldn’t be happier with where we landed. 

***

Netflix's Cursed will launch on July 17, 2020. Stay tuned for our review of the show!

We also interviewed the cast of Cursed: Katherine Langford, Gustaf Skarsgård, Devon Terrell and Daniel Sharman.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.