LONE WOLVES

After a blood-thirsty pirate queen invades their lands, a fiercely independent bandit has no choice but to rely on a spoiled princess with untamed magical powers.

About

LONE WOLVES is a female-led fantasy adventure set on the Isle of Man in the 1700s that weaves mystical elements into a dramatic narrative to explore the grounded themes of love and trust.

Modern issues of mental health, isolation and complicated interpersonal relationships will course throughout the narrative. Strong and realistic characterisation is paramount for an audience to relate to a story in a fantasy world and LONE WOLVES does just that.

The narrative puts three women at the heart of the emotion-driven story. Of course there will be swashbuckling sword fights and gory murders! But there will also be sentimentality, discourse and class. 

Disconnected from the world, Mathalda is a bandit-for-hire of very few words. She's beastly and powerful- but suffers from amnesia and hallucinations brought on by a traumatic childhood. An expert with all weapons, Talda can hold her own and take care of everyone... except for herself. Meeting Babette forces her to evaluate the path she is on and if she can trust others to heal herself.

This show is primarily aimed at the UK market aged 25+ with an interest in female driven fantasy stories. Fans of fantasy and saga shows - such as THE WITCHER - will likely enjoy this narrative.

Teaser

EXT. FOREST - DAY

A low mist rolls through ancient trees with thick trunks. The dense canopy dulls any noise from beyond the forest.

SUPER: Isle of Man, 1705.

TWO BLACKBIRDS flutter by. They swoop low, land together on:

-- A DECAPITATED HEAD. Days old, congealed at the neck.

Nearby lies TALDA (30s), her muscles bursting from under her war town armour. What hasn't killed her has definitely made her stronger.

Talda awakes with a SHARP GASP. The blackbirds scatter.

She pushes herself up to her knees and SPITS out dirt. With a frown, she checks around her - where the hell is she?

Unsure, she reaches for her BATTLE AXE but freezes at:

-- A WOLF. A snarling beast of matted fur and sharp teeth.

Talda's eyes scan the trees for its pack.

TALDA

You alone?

She follows its gaze to 'the head', raises her eyebrow -

TALDA (CONT'D)

You hungry?

-- The Wolf GROWLS but Talda shakes her head -

TALDA (CONT'D)

Any other time, I would. But I gotta

get paid on this one.

She slowly reaches into her pouch, holds up a morsel of cured meat. She finds her feet, no sudden movements.

She HURLS the meat into the distance, between trees. The Wolf BOLTS, chasing after it... disappearing into the mist.

EXT. FISHERY, BALTHANE - DAY

A FLOCK OF WHITE SEAGULLS fly above a weary, wooden shack resting on sea stilts. An old sign reads: BALTHANE FISHERY.

PHERICK (17) lounges with his feet in the water, weaving a net around a trap like he's done so a hundred times before.

On the docks, A WOMAN (50s) casts out a hopeful line out to the sea.

INT. FISHERY, BALTHANE - DAY

A FISHERMAN (50s) perches on a stool, twisting rope around a small harpoon. He hangs it on a rack, starts on the next one.

BANG! He glances up, shocked at the sight of Talda. She strides straight in, throws the decapitated head at his feet.

TALDA

The Thief of Balthane is dead.

She holds out her empty coin purse, ready for payment.

The Fisherman struggles to look at her, lost for words --

FISHERMAN

The witch on the sea... the pirate queen. She's been

circling the island for weeks now...

TALDA

Why should I care? My job is done.

Pay up, old man.

FISHERMAN

But... the fish - they won't bite. We've only just

about caught enough for our dinners. I gotta think of

my family, you see?

She lowers her purse. There's no payment coming.

EXT. FISHERY, BALTHANE - DAY

Talda strides away from the fishery with her new HARPOON. She gives it a few swings, tests the weight. It's not bad.

The Fisherman chases her, furious at her audacity.

FISHERMAN

That's worth double what we agreed.

Give it back!

He grabs her arm. She spins around, her shadow looming over

him. She's twice his size and he's just realised it.

The colour drains from his face.

TALDA

You're lucky this is all I'm

taking. Nothin' is free, old man.

The nearby Woman drops her fishing rod and rushes over.

WOMAN

(to the Fisherman)

Why'd you go an' trust a bandit?

FISHERMAN

I- I just wanted to scare him. I

didn't think she'd actually kill him.

TALDA

Then maybe you shouldn't have hired

me to kill him.

From the docks, the young lad shouts -

PHERICK

The Harvester! She's sailing south-

west - right at us!

Talda whips her head around, looks out to the horizon to see:

-- The Harvester. A black-sailed pirate ship with its name written across the hull in menacing red hues.

Pherick runs over, panicked and rightly so.

TALDA

Get inside. Now.

The Fisherman doesn't need telling twice. He runs inside.

PHERICK

(to Talda)

Please. You've gotta do something.

Talda glances at the ever-closer ship:

-- The swivel guns point inland...

-- The doors to the broadside cannons lower...

The Woman tugs on Pherick's sleeve.

PHERICK (CONT'D)

(to Talda)

Why are you just standing there?

She'll kill us all!

He SPITS at Talda's feet as the Woman drags him inside.

EXT. THE HARVESTER PIRATE SHIP - DAY

The menacing PIRATE CREW row in unison -

PIRATE CREW

(chanting, in Manx Gaelic)

Niart sleih.

Dooinney mooar 'syn ellan.

Dooinney lajer.

Airh feeu da benrein!

DOROTHEA 'THE DREADFUL' (50s), a wild-haired pirate with days-old warpaint, crawls along the highest mast. If the curved sword in her hand could speak, it might only weep from the chaos and destruction she brings.

She crouches, balancing with expert sea legs. She raises her scimitar -

DOROTHEA

(shouting, in Manx Gaelic)

TRODDAN! FOW! TROGGAL!

The crew row faster... CHANT louder... and the ship glides closer to the docks.

EXT. FISHERY, BALTHANE - CONTINUOUS

Pherick stands, one hand on the fishery door. He looks back and catches Talda's eye.

She tilts her head and shrugs - what can she do about it?

He watches her tuck her harpoon in her belt, back up inland.

Talda disappears into the trees just as The Harvester CRASHES into the docks.