MERLIN BBC FAN BLOG - Welcome to The Crystal Cave - News and Spoilers for Season 4

I'll see you in Avalon friends

2011-08-17T18:41:00.004-06:00

Goodbye

Hello world! It has come to our attention that we aren't getting many followers. Since maintaining a blog requires a lot of time, we have decided it is in our best interest to focus our efforts on other projects. We invite our readers to check out a great source for Merlin Series 4 news here

We look forward to Merlin Series 4 and wait eagerly to hear news of an official airdate. The link above should keep you informed with the latest happenings of Merlin on the web.

Peace.

Last Knight
Webmaster of The Crystal Cave

Merlin Season 4 Official Poster HQ

2011-07-28T15:54:00.000-06:00

The official poster for 4th Series has been released in high quality! Click on the thumbnail below to enlarge:

Comic Con Merlin Bloopers from Season 4

2011-07-25T21:42:00.001-06:00

This was shown at Comic-Con alongside the trailer:

Special thanks to snydkid for providing the video.

Merlin Series 4 Trailer From Comic Con

2011-07-25T10:04:00.000-06:00

Huge thanks goes to MewxCrimson!

Comic-Con 2011: 'Merlin' panel

2011-07-24T15:23:00.002-06:00

Digital Spy has posted a rundown of the Merlin Comic-Con panel:

Merlin series 4 poster @ Comic-Con. Big thanks to CodyDeal!

12.58pm: And it's time for our final live-blog from this year's San Diego Comic-Con - the Merlin panel! Stay tuned for the inside scoop on the fantasy drama's upcoming fourth series - we're promised a special guest star on the panel, and an exclusive announcement!

1.00pm: Digital Spy is right up in the front row for this panel - exciting! For the next hour, feel free to chip in with your own thoughts using the Facebook comment feature below!

1.13pm: A video recap of the past three series elicits huge whoops and cheers from the crowd. The moderator then introduces a trailer for series four - aaaaah! The darkest hour is just before the dawn...

1.17pm: The surprise guest is introduced - Santiago Cabrera (Lancelot). Next up, Katie McGrath (Morgana), Bradley James (Arthur), Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Anthony Head (Uther), plus exec producers Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy.

1.18pm: The big announcement - Merlin has been recommissioned. Series five is a go!

1.19pm: Johnny Capps explains that having two series ahead gives them "creative space" to focus on their characters and "slow-burning" story arcs.

1.20pm: What's happening next series? Morgana will return, and her magic is just as strong as Merlin's! "Finally!" gasps Katie McGrath.

1.21pm: Colin Morgan promises that there a lot more surprises to come, and adds that the series will grow more "mature" this year. He explains that Merlin's story arc will see him finding his true place in the court of Camelot.

1.22pm: Katie explains that it's "much more fun" to play the evil Morgana. She calls her character "a ticking time-bomb" and insists that she will definitely explode in series four!

1.24pm: Bradley claims that his own character's purpose is to "have a sword, and play around with it" – even this mild innuendo excites the rabid Merlin fans! "When Johnny and Julian found me, they were looking for a guy who could get physical," says Bradley. He's not helping cool down the fanboys and girls.

1.26pm: Santiago Cabrera promises that the knights will be a strong unit in series four. "Arthur and Lancelot get their swords out a lot," quips Bradley. Santiago also promises a bit of flirtation between Lancelot and Gwen (Angel Coulby) in future episodes. The exec also promise "an unexpected twist" to the Arthur / Gwen / Lancelot love triangle.

1.28pm: Angel Coulby makes an apperance via a pre-recorded video message, and introduces new cast member Nathaniel Parker (Arthur's uncle Agravaine).

1.29pm: Why do the exec producers do so many "terrible things" to Uther? Anthony Head explains that Uther has had to face up too his past actions, and the repercussions will continue in series four.

1.32pm: Anthony Head insists that Uther will never give up his crown to Arthur, but admits that a "battle for power" will occur between the father and son.

1.33pm: The cast nominate their favorite moments from the series. Santiago is excited about a moment coming up for Lancelot in series four - he gets to meet the dragon! Katie picks "the first time that Morgana got to blast a guy against a wall!"

1.34pm: Bradley's choice? The scene in which Arthur's knights assemble around the round-table. "it was a shiver-down-the-spine moment," he explains. Colin picks the dragon attack on Camelot from the series two finale, while Anthony admits he's torn between the Arthur / Uther sword battle...and kissing a troll!

1.37pm: Next up, a video blooper reel from the new series! Highlights include Bradley being unable to control his horse, Nathaniel Parker giggling incessantly and Colin doing a cartwheel.

1.41pm: Katie promises that the fourth series will be "more filmic", while Johnny Capps reveals that series four will feature more "epic, vast, magical landscapes" with more green-screen shooting.

1.42pm: Any chance of a romance for Merlin or Morgana? "Merlin's never been lucky in love," says Colin. "Notoriously, in legend, he hasn't had any luck with girls. I think it'd be interesting to see him happy in that respect, but he's got a lot on his plane at that moment!" Katie McGrath requests a good-looking suitor for Morgana. "We'll find you a troll," jokes Johnny.

1.44pm: It's fan question time! The first audience member reveals that it's her birthday, and Bradley James leads the audience in rendition of 'Happy Birthday'. The fan's question - are filming kissing scenes awkward for Bradley and Angel? "It doesn't feel that much like a romantic moment," says Bradley. "It's not awkward, because it's just very mechanical. But I'm glad it's coming across that we've got some chemistry!"

1.46pm: The next fan asks if we'll see Merlin "kick some tail" this series. "Two words - you're gonna," says Colin.

1.48pm: Katie is asked if she puts any aspects of her own personality into Morgana. "She's more the woman I want to be," replies Katie. "She's confident, she's self-assured - who wouldn't want to be like that? Plus, everybody loves a bad girl."

1.50pm: Do any "shenanigans" occur on-set? All eyes turn to Bradley James, who admits that he pulls the "occasional practical joke", but insists that Colin and the knight also join in with the pranks.

1.51pm: A fan dressed as Pokemon's Ash Ketchum asks what type of scenes the cast prefer filming. Anthony Head's answer somehow diverts into discussing cast members with cloaks attempting to use the toilet on-set. "The variety that you're given within your role is vast," suggests an on-topic Bradley. "It's what makes it interesting and entertaining for us to do."

1.53pm: Someone asks the big question - when will Arthur discover Merlin's magical secret? "To reveal it to someone who, at this stage, cannot possibly comprehend who he is and what he stands for, would ruin everything," explains Colin. Julian Murphy also hints that Merlin will have a new reason to keep his magic secret in series four.

1.55pm: Last fan question - what would Uther have done if he'd learnt about Morgana's magic while she was still on the side of good? "He'd have probably set her on fire or thrown her in a dungeon," suggests Anthony Head. "Can you blame her for how I've turned out?" asks Katie.

1.57pm: One more look at the fantastic series four trailer - featuring plenty of action with the knights, some Arthur / Gwen smooching, another appearance from the aged Merlin and... Arthur with the king's crown?? - and that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed this Merlin panel live-blog, direct from San Diego!

Lancelot

2011-07-22T20:18:00.001-06:00

While we wait for the Series 4 trailer to be shown at Comic-Con in San Diego, here's a look at Lancelot (Santiago Cabrera) in a new costume as he films Block 2 at Pierrefonds:

Special thanks to archaeologist-d for making the pictures possible!

First Official Merlin Series 4 Sneak Peek

2011-07-19T17:07:00.002-06:00

Greetings fans of Merlin in cyberspace! If you aren't having a 'magical' day here is something to cheer you up. Elsewhere on the internet this new Merlin clip is being described as a 'trailer', however the real Series 4 trailer arrives at San Diego's Comic-Con next week. This is about as good as we can give you till then. We don't have anything else. Check back soon for the official trailer. Trust me, this may well be footage contained, but it will be longer than the few seconds you see here.

Here it is in all of its glory, 7 seconds of energized hype. Blink and you've missed it... time to watch again:

Go ahead and post a comment below and tell us what you think.

Merlin filming at Raglan Castle Videos!

2011-07-19T09:24:00.000-06:00

Huge thanks to dianethx!

Merlin Series 4 Trailer To Premiere At San Diego Comic- Con

2011-07-18T22:06:00.005-06:00

Anthony Head, Colin Morgan, Bradley James & Katie McGrath join co-creators Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy for revealing panel on Sunday, July 24.

San Diego, CA - A contingent of core cast members, armed with exclusive revelations about the highly-anticipated fourth season, lead global sensation MERLIN back to Comic-Con International for a special panel Sunday, July 24 at 1:00 p.m. The hour-long panel will include Comic-Con exclusive “first look” footage of the upcoming fourth season of MERLIN, as well as inside information from the cast and co-creators. There will be Comic-Con exclusive goodies for all fans in attendance, as well as extremely limited edition prizes awarded to some lucky audience members. Jenna Busch, host/writer for Moviefone, Screen Junkies, She Knows and more, will moderate the panel in the 2,000-seat Room 6BCF.

Thanks to TV Series Finale for bringing us the big news!

Syfy Picks Up Fourth Season of Merlin

2011-07-17T11:33:00.002-06:00

TV Guide Reports:

Merlin is conjuring up another season at Syfy. The drama, which saw its ratings rise in season three, will be back for a fourth season in 2012.

The show — known as The Adventures of Merlin throughout the rest of the world, outside of the U.S. and the United Kingdom — returns with star Colin Morgan as Merlin, as well as Bradley James as Prince Arthur and Angel Coulby as Gwen. Katie McGrath, Anthony Head and Richard Wilson are also back, while John Hurt once again lends his voice to the Great Dragon.

Season four of the show, set in Camelot, follows Merlin as he looks to ensure that Arthur "fulfils his destiny as the Once and Future King." Joining the show in season four are Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine, as well as guest stars Gemma Jones as Cailleach and Phil Davis as a sinister Circus master.

Syfy licenses Merlin (produced by Shine TV) through FremantleMedia Enterprises, which will air the show in the U.K. on BBC One this fall. On Syfy, season three of Merlin averaged 1.9 million viewers, up 12 percent compared to season two.

Girl lands role in Merlin TV series

2011-07-17T11:32:00.001-06:00

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD Llanelli girl is getting set to appear in BBC TV series Merlin.

Anya Beth Davies, a pupil at Ysgol Dewi Sant, auditioned for a role in the BBC fantasy-adventure programme last February in Cardiff.

And it wasn't long before Anya, from Heol Buckley, found out that she had been successful.

The Mark Jermin theatre school trained schoolgirl began filming indoor scenes in Cardiff by February, before going to France with her mother to film outdoor scenes for the show in March.

Anya's mum, Kelly Davies, said her daughter had really enjoyed her experience.

"She had a great time on the show, she can't wait for it to come on," said Kelly.

"She is one of the girls who gets saved by Vikings in the show and had quite a lot of acting to do.

"The cast of the show made her feel really welcome and she made friends with everyone.

"She is so good and we are all very proud of her."

The show is expected to air on BBC at some point in August.

Thanks to the South Wales Evening Post for the news!

MERLIN Series 4: Set Photos!

2011-07-14T12:44:00.001-06:00

Images made possible by Locksley & Ophel!

MERLIN Series 4: Set Photos Galore!

2011-07-14T12:24:00.002-06:00

Credit belongs to ATHOS1, Locksley, Ophel, Yavannak & Archaeologist_d!

MERLIN Series 4: Yet Even More Set Photos!

2011-07-14T10:19:00.000-06:00

Special thanks to ATHOS1, Locksley, Ophel, Yavannak & DJfredo76!

MERLIN Series 4: Even More Set Photos!

2011-07-14T10:07:00.000-06:00

Images made possible by Locksley & Ophel!

MERLIN Series 4: More Set Photos!

2011-07-14T09:43:00.001-06:00

Special thanks to ATHOS1, Locksley, Ophel, Yavannak & DJfredo76!

MERLIN Series 4: Set Photos!

2011-07-14T09:26:00.002-06:00

Credit goes to Locksley & Reebook!

Merlin News & Rumors MAJOR SPOILERS!

2011-07-03T17:32:00.004-06:00

We've been receiving several reports on some exciting news surrounding Merlin Series 4! First off, we'd like to thank the devoted fans who risk their VERY identities to bring in the latest spoilers so that we can enjoy them ahead of time. The following was sent in by Sir Mayhem, who is one of our top corespondents in finding out Merlin news, especially script leaks and without revealing Sir Mayhem's location, exclusive on-set reports. While much of the following should be noted as unconfirmed at this stage, we rely on Sir Mayhem to be accurate. As many of you know, Sir Mayhem leaked numerous plot-hooks for Merlin Series 3. Without a doubt, we trust our loyal spy, however as always is the case, they have asked us to pass along a forewarning: The spoilers are subjected to error; original concepts are sometimes altered or abandoned to suit the filming schedule and needs of the production team. Without further ado... here is what we're hearing:

Merlin's Visions of the future (seen in previous season) will be forthcoming to plots. (This could be linked to the visions in The Crystal Cave).

More will be seen of Percival, including hints about his background and personality. (Perhaps each main knight will have his own feature episode plot revolving around building character traits and history?)

The knights will play a larger role than last season, replacing the nameless, faceless soldiers in many cases. (Already there is clear indication of this. The Round Table was brought in the last series. It will be interesting to see if it is featured this time around).

As a Dragon Lord Merlin will again call upon The Great Dragon, making The Beast submit to aiding him. (It's likely Merlin's relationship with The Great Dragon will be reforged, making them closer friends and allies... although from The Great Dragon's perspective, it's difficult to imagine how genuine this may be??)

Excalibur appears, this time connected to Arthur. With Evil Uncle Agravaine trying to wield the power of the throne, Excalibur may be used to prove Arthur is the rightful King... The Sword In The Stone???!

Morgana's powers have grown stronger during the lapsed time-line. She will be seen as more powerful in magic than even her half-sister. (It has been said in a magazine scan interview that Morgana will be out for 'revenge' from the first episode on).

There will be a tournament in which the competition will be using magic with dark motives. (This seems very likely, as it has become Merlin tradition to feature at least one tournament related episode weaved with dark magic).

Morgana and Morgause will seek to kill Merlin. Arthur will not learn that Merlin is a target.

Merlin will ask Gwaine to aid him.

Leon's traditional knightly values will clash with Eylan's free rebel spirit.

Arthur and Gwen's "feelings" for each other will be further explored in detail.

Lancelot will go missing in action for a time. Details are sketchy as to why exactly, but the information suggests he will not be featured in every episode.

The Isle of The Blessed will be used in a big way for the two parter opening episodes.

Gwen has been caring for Uther. His opinion of the humble maidservant will soften as the series progresses.

Merlin will lose his powers... but magic isn't the only loss. (This seems to tie-in with supposed scene leak between Merlin and Lancelot).

Morgause's face is scarred from hitting the wall in the previous season. (Photos appearing online now confirm this. At the time when this rumor was sent, we didn't know for sure).

SPY REPORT

2011-06-30T10:52:00.001-06:00

Thanks to an anonymous source we are proud to be able to bring you a scene description from Merlin, series IV!

Read below......

Scene with Merlin and Lancelot:
Lancelot: You shouldn't be here, Merlin. You have no powers.
Merlin: (walking nearby, gathering firewood) It doesn't matter.
Lancelot: You're not a warrior, Merlin. I don't want to see you die.
(Some dialogue missing here)
Lancelot: We leave in the morning.

-In another scene Merlin and Lancelot (this time in his Camelot cloak) ride through the woods. Merlin bends over in his saddle looking in pain, and Lancelot offers him something (it seemed to be a drink).
-In yet another scene, Merlin and Lancelot ride together. Merlin was using the last of his energy to tell Lancelot something, before he apparently collapses to the floor, unconscious.

SFX mag "Saturday Knight Fever" Article Scan

2011-06-28T09:39:00.003-06:00

Click on image above to enlarge (1 of 3)

Click on image above to enlarge (2 of 3)

Click on image above to enlarge (3 of 3)

A HUGE thank you to x_dragonfly_

'Merlin' Q&A: A chat with Katie McGrath ('Morgana')

2011-06-27T09:47:00.002-06:00

Will Morgana be an out-and-out villain in series four?
"You'd like her to be, wouldn't you? I think everyone is waiting for that! It's funny, it was the number one question I used to get asked over the first three series. When is she going to be bad? When is she going to go over to the dark side? It's one of those things, because everybody knows where [the characters are] ending up, they're kind of desperate for you to get there! What I liked about it was that it wasn't going to be so obvious, how she gets there. I would love if people could see Morgana's point of view, that she is a victim of her circumstances. If you had been persecuted by one group of people and accepted by the other, then you're obviously going to side with the ones that accept you and turn against the ones that are persecuting you! That's what happened to her, so when you say she's a villain, I may not exactly agree with you, but I see it from your point of view because, yeah, Merlin's the good guy. Great! So technically yes, Morgana would be his foil. Not necessarily evil, because evil's just a point of view. But for the purposes of the show… this is a really roundabout way of me saying, 'Yeah, she's the villain!' But I'm trying to make my case at the same time. She's the misunderstood bad girl!"

I'm not sure a character can do that many evil smirks and not be a villain…
"There were many different levels to the evil smirks! They weren't all evil, some were maniacal. Sometimes, she was just pleased with herself. There were levels to those, they were difficult!"

Is there a part of you that misses playing the 'good' Morgana?
"No, I love a bad girl! Absolutely. I couldn't wait for her to become like this, because at the same time that she became the bad girl, she became powerful. All her uncertainty goes. In the first series, she was the opinionated, spoiled princess, and then in the second series, she was very unsure of herself. In the third series, she was still playing both sides. So by the time we get to the fourth series, she's got to where ultimately she's going to go. But in typical Merlin fashion, it's not what you expect. It's never what you expect, and in series four, it isn't either. But I like the fact that she is strong and she's accepted who she is. She's assured, and even if you don't agree with her point of view, she's committed to it. She believes that she is doing the right thing and that she is saving people like her. She wants to bring back the old traditions, so she will no longer have to hide. I really respect that in somebody, that she is committed to what she believes. To be that strong and powerful is great, especially when you're a girl. Without being a weak woman and soft, she's still feminine. She's a great woman to play!"

Series four will take place one year after the events of series three. What's changed in that time?
"I think I'm bound to silence! I'm not sure what I can say. Well, Morgana has entirely changed in the year away. She's been out of Camelot, and she's probably been hunted and had to hide who she is. So to go from being such a privileged woman to being a hunted fugitive is going to change her. It's going to make her harder, stronger and more committed. A year has also passed with everyone knowing that she is magical, so that's also going to have changed how everybody else views her and how she views herself. I'm quite lucky. I'm probably completely biased, but I always say that I have the best character in the show. From season to season, I think she's changed the most, and this season is no different. I know that everybody will be shocked by what she does in the first two episodes, and how she looks. It's a complete new image for her. Very cool!"

Morgause appeared to die at the end of series three, so will Emilia Fox be back?
"Yes! Nothing's ever the way it seems!"

And is there any chance of Mordred returning?
"I'd like Mordred to be back. He's such an integral part of the story. I don't know if he's going to be back, because we've only got the first three scripts. But I'd like to think that at some point over the next few years, he'll turn up, because you can't tell the story without him. But again, what's nice about Merlin is that it's never going to be what you expect, so you can't think that you know the legends. Even if you do, the show will trip you up and you'll get a surprise! But I hope he'll be back. Although [Mordred actor] Asa [Butterfield]'s off working with Martin Scorsese! I love it, we're so proud of him! That boy, we've seen him grow!"

With the launch of Merlin: The Dragon Tower and the show's success in America, does it feel like Merlin gets bigger each series?
"It's amazing! I mean, we're at Warwick Castle and they've got a Merlin attraction here! It's the most bizarre thing. If you'd told me three years ago that I'd have my own action figure and that I'd be at the opening of a Merlin ride, I'd laugh in your face. We just found out that the viewing figures in America jumped 30% for the final [episode]. It's 1.8m people! I mean, that's nothing on the 6m-plus that watched it in England, but for that channel, those were some of the highest ratings ever. You're in a bubble when you're filming. You're doing a show about magic, you're in Cardiff and you're in this old world. But I did in a film in Romania, and I used to get stopped all the time in Romania! I don't get stopped in England, but apparently in Romania, they all know who I am! It's just the most bizarre thing. Colin [Morgan] said he was on holiday once in this tiny village in Northern Italy, and this guy comes up to him and goes, 'Hey! Merlino!' So yeah, it does feel like every year it gets bigger. And we get better at it."

Has fan reaction to you changed since Morgana went to the dark side?
"I don't get recognized in England. Not at all. Every so often, I get recognized in other countries. But I think because she looks quite different to me, in my boots and jeans, I don't tend to get stopped. I actually quite like that, because I was paranoid that little children would scream at me in the street and throw things at me for trying to kill Merlin! It hasn't happened, so we're all good! Give it time though, you never know!"

What teasers can you give about series four?
"I know we say it every year, but every year it's true. This series is darker. Very much so. It's also much more filmic, because we're actually shooting on 35mm film. I'm not sure how many other TV shows do that. It looks just gorgeous, absolutely wonderful. What else can I say? Another member of Arthur's family comes in, so he becomes a part of it. Obviously my story is slightly separate from everyone else's, because I'm no longer in Camelot."

Do you miss interacting with your fellow cast members?
"I do miss it. I miss hanging out with the guys. I have different types of scenes now. I remember at the end of last year, I figured that I probably wouldn't have that many more scenes with Angel [Coulby] or Bradley [James]. It's a very different feeling now. I won't have been in for a few days, and I'll want to catch up and find out what's been going on! Bradley's now with his merry band of knights, his little football team that he's got going on, so it is very different. But it keeps it fresh and new, because I'm having a completely different experience this year than I have over the past three years.

Tickets for Merlin: The Dragon Tower are available now from www.warwick-castle.com

Full credit goes to the Digital Spy for providing the interview. Thanks!

'Merlin': Q&A with Nathaniel Parker ('Agravaine')

2011-06-26T14:03:00.002-06:00

Digital Spy recently caught up with the actor while he was promoting his new ITV1 drama Injustice and took the opportunity to ask him about his Merlin role!

You've got Merlin coming up - tell us about your character.
"I think mythologically-wise he is Arthur's nephew. It doesn't work with me being Bradley [James]' nephew, so I'm now his uncle. You know what happened at the end of the last series? Morgana, Morgause, a big battle - obviously Camelot won. So we tidy up that and I become a presence at court. Quite a dark and brooding presence."

I like Katie's evil smiles. Do you get to do an evil smile every now and then?
"I do! I wouldn't call myself evil - in fact, we're not allowed to use the word evil - but I would call myself misunderstood. Only by Arthur. Actually, after 20 minutes you know exactly that [my character is] a baddie, but you're not allowed to say it too much, and obviously Arthur doesn't know. It's only Merlin and Gaius who really suspect, and really only Gaius at the beginning as well. That's great fun. Working with Richard [Wilson] is a treat, and Colin [Morgan]. Well, all of them, obviously. But Colin's a sweetheart."

Do you enjoy playing a villain?
"Love it, love it. I said when I started, 'Should I be Alan Rickman?' And they went, 'Ooh, nothing as big and broad as that'. Little did they know my baroque history of my baddie-playing! I do, I love it. It's good fun. I like playing good guys too. I like playing the bad guys to make them good."

Will you be in every episode?
"Yes, I believe so. I'll be there for the series, maybe more. I don't know if they're making another series - every year they say they might, they might not."

This series has been extended from the original ten episodes, hasn't it?
"13 episodes [now]! It's quite a long time."

But people love it.
"Quite rightly. I know a lot of people who love their Saturday evenings with that."

What's your character's relationship like with Arthur?
"He's avuncular. He tries to give him the best advice he possibly can. The truth is, he would run Camelot in a very different way if he had a chance. It's not that he dislikes Camelot, he'd just run it in a very different way. It's sort of the old guard - Arthur's so much the new guard - the old guard coming in. With some strength, I think. I think he's definitely a force to be reckoned with."

Did you enjoy filming at the castle in France?
"It's an amazing place. Great fun. Cantering up those cobbled steps into the gates, good fun. I love it. I love all that dressing up and playing around. We do quite a lot in Cardiff in a warehouse there and then in the Forest of Dean. It's a laugh, actually. It's quite extraordinary. I wish it was real! Somehow Merlin sometimes makes things look like a set - it's not! Actually we almost always use real things for exteriors."

Were you a fan of the show before?
"Yeah, I was. I watched all three series. My daughters love it, so I watched it with them."

How did they react when they heard you'd be in the show?
"So thrilled. When I got it I was absolutely over the moon because I knew they'd be able to watch it and they'd love it. This [Injustice] is harder for them to watch - I've got a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old so I'm not sure I'd recommend the 12-year-old to see this. Or the 14-year-old! But that, yeah, love it."

You've been in Stardust and Narnia - is the fantasy genre something you're interested in?
"Yes. Clive Barker was an old chum, who wrote Books of Blood and the Hellraiser movies and things like that. He was a colleague of my brother's - they worked together on fringe theatre for a while. I did used to like fantasy. It's not something I've grown out of - I enjoy it still. I'm not a fan of any one particular genre, but I think getting people out of their shells and doing something magic is always a top thing to do."

The fourth series of Merlin is currently filming in the UK and France. Nathaniel can next be seen in Injustice, starting this Monday at 9pm on ITV1.

Thanks to Digital Spy!

Angel Coulby ('Guinevere') teases fourth series

2011-06-26T13:55:00.002-06:00

Merlin star Angel Coulby has revealed new details about the upcoming fourth series.

At the launch of new Warwick Castle attraction Merlin: The Dragon Tower, the actress told DS that her character Gwen will have a "changed" role in future episodes.

"She's obviously no longer Morgana's maid servant, but she's been looking after the King," explained Coulby. "That's what she's been doing in the year that Morgana's been away."

She also suggested that Gwen's relationship with Arthur (Bradley James) will become more open in the new run.

"I think you can say that… it probably will be," she said. "You see that happen at the end of series three. You seem them embrace and kiss in public, so I think Gwen certainly hopes that they're moving in that direction."

Coulby also confirmed that the character of Lancelot will return in the new series, despite actor Santiago Cabrera's new role in Fox pilot Alcatraz.

"Lancelot does come back," she insisted. "I don't know how long he'll be around for, but he definitely comes back! I don't know what's happening with him and Gwen. I think at the moment she's focused on Arthur. He's there for her and Lancelot keeps disappearing!"

Special Thanks to Digital Spy for the interview!

Colin Morgan ('Merlin') interview

2011-06-26T13:45:00.002-06:00

CultBox caught up with actor Colin Morgan, who plays the fantasy drama’s titular hero, to find out more...
Can you tell us a bit about the Merlin: The Dragon Tower attraction at Warwick Castle?
“I’ve been at Warwick Castle for the first time this morning actually, I’m absolutely blown away by the place. It’s just got so much going on there. I was there to get a waxwork figure of myself made in character as Merlin, which is going to be living up at the castle. It’s being made by the team from Madame Tussauds, so I had several hours of doing that this morning.
“Then I got the chance to hold some birds of prey and a giant eagle. It just feels like the right place for the UK’s first ever Merlin attraction, it makes sense to have it as the home of the great dragon.
“Visitors are going to get the chance to interact with the sets from Merlin, they’re recreating Gaius’s chamber and you cast spells in there, then you actually can come face to face with the great dragon himself. It’s hugely exciting for myself to be working on the show for so long and now visitors will get a chance to experience it all for themselves. It opens on April 16th.”
Have you begun filming the new series yet?
“Yes, we’ve just started last week on the fourth series. It feels like, coming into the fourth series, the show’s really taken its place in people’s hearts.”
Since you finished filming Series 3, what did you miss most and what did you miss least about filming the show?
“I did a play at the Royal Court Theatre in-between, so that was a great chance to do something completely different. I think one of the key things in any profession is to keep doing new things. So yeah, exercising that muscle was brilliant, but I did miss working on the show.
“We’ve got some fantastic storylines coming up on the fourth series; we’ve just got scripts for the first three episodes through and it’s hugely exciting.
“I guess one of the things I haven’t missed is the wet Welsh weather! We’ve been lucky so far, but once we start going out on location and do some night shoots, I’m hoping we don’t get the usual torrential rain like we did last year!”
Merlin's executive producer Johnny Capps has stated that the Knights of the Round Table will feature heavily in Series 4, are you excited about these storylines?
“Yeah, I think it’s fantastic. The basis of the story that we’re working on is so strongly established in legend, so it’s great to see these icons coming through. The show has always been about taking the legends and showing them in a different and unexpected way.
“But there are elemental icons in the Arthurian legend and when those images are created on screen, like we saw at the end of the third series with the round table and the knights and Excalibur and the lady of the lake... These are things that have worked for centuries, so the fact that those elements are very much part of the series is exciting.”
Can you give us any hints about what’s coming up for Merlin?
“There’s huge changes for Merlin in Series 4. I’m not sure how much I can say as we’ve literally only just got the scripts! But I think it’s clear that Camelot is heading in a new direction and the characters’ arcs are starting to take their place.”
Would you like to see Arthur finding out about Merlin's magic?
“It’d be a huge thing. It wouldn’t just be Arthur finding out about it; it’d be Merlin’s whole world collapsing. I think Arthur’s general attitude to Merlin wouldn’t change too much, but we’ve been working on the story for so long, so I think the storyline would be taken from a political point of view. I don’t think it’ll happen quickly and it won’t be resolved quickly. It’ll be a really interesting avenue to explore.”
Would you like to see more of Merlin’s family in the show?
“I think a big part of what works about Merlin is that his past is quite ambiguous and he doesn’t know very much about it himself. But it’d be great if there were some mysteries to uncover there.”
With a full 13 episodes for Series 4 (following initial talks of just 10 episodes) and the Warwick Castle attraction opening soon, it looks like the BBC are really committed to the show. How long can you imagine it continuing for and how long would you like to stay involved for?
“I think for as long as it works and people are still exciting about it. I’m genuinely intrigued by where these characters are going, where I can take it as an actor and where the writers can develop. It’s so exciting what’s been created for the fourth series so far and the massive steps that are being taken in terms of the storylines.
“Whenever I meet fans of the show, they’re never just a casual fan, they always really, really like Merlin. I think the show is entertaining people in a lot of ways, in different countries and in different languages. I think that’s a fantastic thing to be involved with.”
Series 4 will include the show’s 50th episode. Are there any special plans for this episode?
“I don’t know actually! We get the scripts about three at a time, often not very long before we film them, so I only know what happens in 1, 2 and 3 at the moment.”
Would you like to do a Christmas special?
“Yeah, I’d like to see Camelot covered in snow, that’d be great! If there’s the opportunity for that, I think it’d be fantastic.”
With the second half of Doctor Who’s sixth series being shown on Saturday evenings in September and October, do you know when Series 4 of Merlin is going to air?
“It’ll still be this Autumn, either in September or October this year.”
Tickets for the Merlin: The Dragon Tower attraction are available now from warwick-castle.com.

Merlin Series 4 Set Pictures

2011-06-26T12:42:00.000-06:00

Some images are credited to Bruce Cox, others from various unidentified sources.

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