FX orders a medieval drama pilot from Sons Of Anarchy's Kurt Sutter

By Caroline Siede | December 13, 2013 | 9:40pm

Aux Features TV

Sons Of Anarchy fans who have long thought the show would be even better if it were set in the 14th century and revolved around a medieval executioner are in luck, as that weirdly specific wish is coming true in a new FX series from Sons showrunner Kurt Sutter. According to Deadline, FX has greenlit a pilot for The Bastard Executioner, a period drama that looks to combine everyone’s two favorite elements of Game Of Thrones: the bastards and the executioners. Set during the reign of Edward III—a medieval English king who came to power in 1327 and ruled for 50 years—the show follows a warrior knight who vows to lay down his sword after seeing the horrors of war, but who's soon forced to become an executioner instead.

Sutter will write the script and executive produce alongside Brian Grazer, who actually came up with the idea. Grazer explains, “I find the executioner to be an incredibly fascinating and provocative character. He deals with the highest order and the lowest order in the culture. It’s about as morally complex a profession as you can imagine, and it is going to make for a spellbinding series.” Sutter added, “I love the network. I love the world. I love the blood.” That old blood will have to wait, however, until Sutter finishes with some more contemporary violence: He’ll start the pilot late next year, after he wraps up the seventh and final season of Sons.