I’m completely hooked on this new show on Prime Video! It’s based on the stories of King Arthur, and honestly, it’s taken everyone by surprise. It’s climbed the charts so quickly just because people are talking about it and telling their friends – there’s been no big advertising push, it’s just genuinely good!
Jeremy Boreing, co-founder of The Daily Wire, created The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, which is now the top-ranked fantasy series on Amazon Prime in the UK.
This series tells the story of Merlin, who is the son of a legendary bard and an Atlantean princess. It shows his difficult childhood, how he lost his sanity, and the mysterious events surrounding his vanishing – all of which contributed to the famous legends about him.
Before King Arthur was born, the legendary wizard Merlin – long thought gone or simply a story – reappears in what’s now Great Britain. He works to bring together the divided kingdoms to defend against attacks by invading Saxons.
Based on the books by Stephen Lawhead, the show has been gaining viewers consistently since it first came out in January.
The show has resonated with British audiences, likely because it’s based on the well-known story of a king who unites his people. It taps into a part of British folklore that hasn’t been widely depicted before.
Jeremy, also a producer for the show, launched the series in the US on his streaming service, DailyWire+.
The series quickly became a hit on Amazon Prime in the UK, ranking among the top three shows overall. It also landed in the top 10 of all movies and series across the country, and has seen similar popularity in Ireland, Spain, and Portugal.
He told the Daily Mail on Thursday that Britain’s success is something to be proud of, and this historical figure has always been a key part of that success.
The story is ingrained in tradition: even today, before the monarch officially opens Parliament, they wait in a room decorated with sculptures of King Arthur.
As a lifelong admirer, I believe the story – and everything behind it, like the traditions, beliefs, and the very people who created it – is a treasure we all share in the English-speaking world. It’s part of our collective heritage, something to be cherished and passed down.
As a lifestyle expert, I can tell you it’s been incredibly rewarding to see this project come to life with such a talented cast and crew. Honestly, we’re just over the moon that so many people in Britain have connected with it and embraced the story!
He mentioned that he tried selling ‘The Pendragon Cycle’ to several streaming services, after choosing to keep his earlier projects within the same company.
He explained to Deadline that they hadn’t planned on seeking a distributor because they were focused on creating their own streaming platform. The ‘Pendragon Cycle’ project was the first instance where they even thought about using one.
This project was much larger than anything we’d tackled previously, so we really wanted to make sure a lot of people saw it.
We shared the project and received surprisingly positive feedback from many people who don’t usually agree with our views. Although we couldn’t finalize an agreement for the show, the comments from streamers were largely complimentary, and we were pleased with what we achieved.
Roger Avary, an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, recently told Joe Rogan that he thinks the show is significantly better than other popular fantasy series like “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” and the “Game of Thrones” spin-offs.
Colin Cunningham, known for his role as King Vortigern in the Merlin episode ‘A Fatherless Child,’ is up for a Leo Award – British Columbia’s film and television award – for Best Leading Actor in a Dramatic Series.
Jeremy explained that he deliberately chose mostly unknown actors for his project. He believes it’s important to avoid casting stars who overshadow the work itself. He wanted performers fully invested in this role as a career-defining opportunity, ensuring they would deliver their very best performances.
I’ve never seen such a talented group of relatively unknown actors come together. It truly feels like something special guided the casting process.
Jeremy also discussed the comparisons between the show and ‘Game of Thrones,’ explaining that it challenges typical storytelling by actively opposing the idea that life is meaningless.
In March 2025, Jeremy Boreing left his position at the Daily Wire, the media company he co-founded with Ben Shapiro. He played a key role in growing the company from a start-up into a major media brand now worth $1 billion.
Since then, he’s been working on creative endeavors, including producing the fantasy series The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin and hosting his own podcast, The Jeremy Boreing Show.
Earlier this year, Jeremy wrote an article for The Daily Mail where he also criticized other personalities in conservative media.
According to him, you can attract an audience in one of two ways: by offering them something they genuinely support, or by provoking a strong reaction from them.
‘The latter is faster, cheaper and far more addictive.
Feeling outraged activates the same brain pathways as feeling pleasure. However, just like any quick thrill, the intense feeling fades over time and becomes harder to achieve, leading people to constantly seek out new things to get upset about.
It started with just a little annoyance, a tiny bit of discomfort, but that wasn’t enough. I needed more. It had to escalate, get truly intense! The stories… they have to go further now. Everything needs to be higher stakes, the villains genuinely terrifying. And honestly? I think it’s working. I feel like something is changing inside me, a slow burn, and it’s… amazing. It’s completely consuming me.
‘As a result, Americans’ ability to feel proud has atrophied.’
2026-07-23 19:35