The Essex trials
A dark chapter in England's 1640s, when suspicion and accusation could condemn neighbours and families.
Stuart period drama / In development
The Witchling.
She is forced to choose between her mother and her own life.
← All development projectsThe story01 / Feature overview
Essex, 1645. One accusation can make a daughter an orphan — or a witch.
A time of terror.
Set amid the Essex witch trials and the persecutions led by Matthew Hopkins, The Witchling follows teenage Rebecca West as fear overtakes her community. When Rebecca is pressured to incriminate her own mother, Anne, survival and loyalty become incompatible choices.
This is a human story of family, coercion and the consequences of mass hysteria, grounded in the history of seventeenth-century England. The trials bring Rebecca to Chelmsford and towards an impossible decision.
The world of the film02 / Creative approach
A country accused.
Mother & daughter
Rebecca and Anne's relationship is the emotional centre, where the public terror of the witch trials becomes acutely personal.
Stuart England
Period locations, costume, landscape and the harsh atmosphere of a society consumed by fear.
From script to screen03 / Production status
The journey ahead.
The Witchling is still in development. The creative team and a letter of intent for the lead role form part of the current package; schedules, further casting and financing remain subject to confirmation.
A publicly shareable sizzle link has not yet been confirmed for this page.