Under Salt Marsh: Rafe Spall, Jonathan Pryce, & 10 more join Kelly Reilly in crime thriller series

The hit Paramount Network series Yellowstone will soon be coming to an end, and while Kelly Reilly is expected to reprise the role of Beth Dutton on the follow-up series that’s now going by the title The Madison, she’s also making some time to star in the Sky Original crime thriller series Under Salt Marsh, which is expected to start filming later this year. Today, The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that Reilly is being joined in the cast by Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies), Naomi Yang (Nightsleeper), Harry Lawtey (Joker: Folie à Deux), Dinita Gohil (Sandman), Brian Gleeson (Phantom Thread), Kimberley Nixon (Fresh Meat), Mark Stanley (Happy Valley), Dino Fetscher (Fool Me Once), Lizzie Annis (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Rhodri Meilir (Tree on a Hill), and Julian Lewis Jones (House of the Dragon).

Written, created, and executive produced by Claire Oakley (Make Up), who will also direct the series, Under Salt Marsh is set in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, a tight-knit community nestled between mountains and a fast-encroaching sea that threatens its very existence. As a once-in-a-generation storm begins to gather far out at sea, former detective turned teacher Jackie Ellis (Reilly) discovers the body of her eight-year-old pupil, Cefin, seemingly drowned. The discovery sends shockwaves through the community, reviving the ghost of an unsolved cold case that rocked the town three years prior — the disappearance of Jackie’s niece, Nessa, which cost her career. Cefin’s death summons Jackie’s former partner, Detective Eric Bull (Spall), back to Morfa Halen to lead the investigation into a community he failed once before. Convinced the cases are linked, Jackie and Eric must reconcile to uncover long-buried secrets inside Morfa, before the storm breaks and all the evidence is gone for good. 

Oakley previously provided the following statement: “Under Salt Marsh is a crime thriller set in a community deeply connected to its environment, and interwoven with the heartache, fears, dreams and secrets of its people. At the heart of it all is Jackie, a character who embodies the wildness of the place we’re depicting. She’s free-spirited, compassionate, and determined, with a steely resolve that makes her truly of the land. We’re absolutely thrilled to have Kelly Reilly bringing Jackie to life.“

The series is being produced by Little Door Productions, in association with Sky Studios. Oakley wrote the scripts alongside Jonathan Harbottle and Nikita Lalwani. Oakley is also the lead director, with Mary Nighy on board to direct the third and fourth episodes. The Hollywood Reporter informs us that Under Salt Marsh will be available on Sky and the streaming service Now in the U.K., Ireland, and Italy. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution will handle the international sales.

Elwen Rowlands, executive producer and CEO, Little Door, had this to say: “We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented cast bringing these characters to life, Claire’s compelling scripts tell a thrilling story of a community deeply connected with its environment, raw with emotion, and beautifully mirrored by the stunning backdrop of North Wales where the story unfolds.“

Are you interested in Under Salt Marsh? What do you think of the cast that has been assembled for the show? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.