Young Arthur

{{short description|2002 NBC TV drama}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox television | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | genre = | creator = | based_on = | writer = | screenplay = Remi Aubuchon<br>Graham Yost | story = | director = Mikael Salomon | starring = Julian Morris | narrator = | theme_music_composer = Jeff Beal | country = United States | language = English | num_episodes = | producer = {{unbulleted list|Remi Aubuchon|Michael R. Joyce|David Minkowski|Graham Yost}} | editor = Mark C. Baldwin | cinematography = Jon Joffin | runtime = 87 minutes | company = NBC Studios | budget = | network = NBC | released = {{Start date|2002}} }}

'''Young Arthur''' was a pilot episode for a 2002 NBC TV drama about the childhood of King Arthur. The pilot was directed by Mikael Salomon and written by Remi Aubuchon and Graham Yost. It was not picked up as a full series.

==Background== ''Young Arthur'' was pitched at the age 12-34 demographic, modeled after two 2001 properties: the medieval comedy film ''A Knight's Tale'' and teen superhero series ''Smallville''. A talent-agency source told ''Electronic Media'' that NBC hoped to find a lead actor akin to Heath Ledger or Tom Welling, those properties' respective leads: "They're looking for a young, heroic hunk who can be a brand to the network." They ultimately chose two 19-year-old actors, Julian Morris and Paul Wasilewski, to play Arthur and Lancelot respectively.<ref name="freeman">{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Michael |title=NBC targets family fare for Sundays |agency=Electronic Media |date=18 March 2002}}</ref>

Remi Aubuchon and Graham Yost wrote the screenplay, and Sweden's Mikael Salomon directed the episode. Filming began in Prague in the Czech Republic, with an estimated budget of $2.4 million for the pilot episode, in line with typical pilot costs, but less for subsequent episodes.<ref name="freeman" /> NBC, which was in the middle of cost-cutting, chose the overseas filming location in part to reduce labor costs.<ref name="wsj">{{cite news |last1=Flint |first1=Joe |title=Prime Time: How NBC Defies Network Norms -- To Its Advantage --- Unfettered by a Media Parent, It Pursues Upscale Niche That Draws Advertisers --- Short-Shrift to Minorities? |agency=The Wall Street Journal |date=20 May 2002}}</ref>

The network declined to pick up the series for its fall 2002 season.<ref name="wsj" />

==Cast== *Julian Morris - Arthur *James Fleet - Merlin *Paul Wesley (as Paul Wasilewski) - Lancelot *James Hoare - Kay *Jo Stone-Fewings - Jack *Stephen Billington - Lord Vortigen *Laura Rees - Morgana *David Birkin - Mordred *Desmond Barrit - Bullwhit *Marc Small - Heflin *Tony Maudsley - Aloysius *Clive Swift - Illtud *Nick Brimble - Pelinore *Patrick Gordon - Grimthorpe *Christian Burgess - Ector

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0324633}}

Category:2002 television films Category:2002 films Category:American drama television films Category:Films directed by Mikael Salomon Category:Television pilots not picked up as a series Category:Films shot in the Czech Republic Category:Arthurian films Category:2002 English-language films Category:English-language drama films