Series 5

Series 5 will be the fifth series of the highly popular drama show, Merlin. It has been officially commissioned by the BBC, due to popularity and anticipation. This was confirmed 24 July 2011 by Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps. Filming began on 12th March 2012 in Cardiff, Wales and Pierrefonds, France. 13 episodes have been ordered. The show will air on BBC One for the UK viewers and Network Ten for the Australian viewers.

The fifth series will air on 29 September 2012 (This was confirmed by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy during their acceptance speech for the SFX Phenomenon Award). This would mean that it will be shown in the UK at the same time as Doctor Who's seventh series.

Confirmed Information

 * Mordred will return and will be played by Alexander Vlahos.
 * The season will open with a two-part episode. The two-parter will jump ahead in time and it'll be surprising to realise where the characters are at.
 * Sara Hamill, producer of Merlin Series 4 and 5, confirmed via her twitter that Justin Molotnikov will be returning to direct the first 3 episodes.
 * Mordred will have long hair, the actor indicating that he was "wig-fitting".
 * There will be two new monsters we haven't met before in the first two episodes.
 * Filming began on 12 March 2012.
 * Mordred will ride on a horse, the actor indicating he was "horse riding".
 * Dragons will be more involved in the major plot line. The producers are playing with the ideas of the two battling dragons, the red one and the white one, with their own twist.
 * Julian Jones is writing the first two episodes.
 * The writers are clearly satisfied with the debate regarding the twist at the end of Series 4, where Aithusa saved Morgana.
 * The writers have stated that Mordred has a job to do at the end of the story.
 * Aithusa and Kilgharrah will both return.
 * After the finale showed the white dragon Aithusa saving a dying Morgana, there's been some debate on whether the creators are drawing on the legend of the red dragon (representing Camelot) kills the white dragon (symbolising the Saxons) and the writers are clearly satisfied with the reaction: "We hoped it was a nice tease..."
 * Morgana is growing into a stronger and more committed enemy than ever before. The stakes are becoming higher now that Arthur is king and the future of Albion is being created, there's more for Merlin to fight for and more for him to protect so as he gets older, he's tested as a character because everything in the world becomes more serious.
 * Series 5 is going to be darker. An older and wiser Merlin will struggle between making some very difficult decisions and trying to tread a very careful path between what is good and what is bad.
 * Morgana's new outfits are more sumptuous, less "she's living in a hovel" and more sort of "medieval couture". (Go to 1:37 )
 * "The length of Merlin is all about whether the audience are enjoying it. If they still enjoy the series we'll keep making it, but we will absolutely wrap it up properly when it does come to an end".
 * An action fight will be seen in a quarry.
 * Gwen will have a more prominent role as Arthur's confidant.
 * Merlin's hair and clothes will be the same. The producers have argued that it's his trademark clothes, what he's known by.
 * The Saxons will appear
 * The Great Seas of Meredor will appear, the picture below confirms it.
 * Merlin will not have a love interest this season, indicating that it's unlikely Freya will appear.
 * Arthur's hair is slightly longer.
 * Magic wolves will appear.
 * Liam Cunningham, a confirmed cast member, has strongly hinted acting as a corpse in Merlin.
 * The writers have stated the relationship between Guinevere and Merlin has always been close and will not change.
 * Guinevere will play a very different role, now that she is queen.
 * Mordred will align with both Morgana and Arthur, meaning that it is possible that he will be a protagonist at one stage, or he will be like Agravaine and pretending to work with Arthur while actually spying on him for Morgana, or vice versa.
 * The cast were seen filming in the Clearwell Caves, which is the place where Agravaine died.
 * Mithian will return.
 * Annis will return.
 * Gwaine will have a bigger role in Series 5.
 * Morgana may have power over Aithusa.
 * Series 5 won't have as many guest roles, because last season, the guest roles cut off a lot the screentime for the main cast.
 * The Knights will be developed further.
 * The camera will be on Mordred a lot during Series 5, indicating that it's possible that he'll replace Nathaniel Parker in the opening credits.
 * Mordred will look similar as he originally did when he was younger, just with Alexander Vlahos face and older.
 * Mithian witnesses someone being stabbed with a sword and escapes falling rubble, running to a wizard (Possibly Merlin).
 * Two of these legends will be referenced in Series 5.
 * Alice Troughton is directing episodes 4-6.
 * James Fox, Emilia Fox's uncle, seems to have cast for Series 5.
 * Mithian remains a princess in Series 5.
 * Series 5 involves a lot of "out of the castle" scenes. And apparently, it doesn't mean less of Gaius and Gwen.
 * Merlin will complete some of his own quests in Series 5.
 * Lancelot will not return.
 * Mithian will meet Morgana.
 * Ashley Way will return to direct episodes 7-9.
 * Arthur, along with Merlin, will prevent an execution at a village. Arthur wil approach the pyre (while drums are being played) and interrupt the execution at sword point. The woman who was going to be executed will later be seen around a campfire with Arthur and Merlin.
 * One scene will involve Gwaine running through a forest in the sun, wearing chainmail.
 * Block 2 (Episodes 4, 5, 6) will contain filming in the Clearwell Caves.
 * Mordred will be somewhat of a Knight, but not an official one. He is likely to be a "trainee" of some kind.
 * James Robinson will play "Sir Ranulf ".
 * The Round Table will return to Camelot.
 * Morgana will disguise herself as an old woman. She appears to be using the ageing spell Morgause used in The Eye of the Phoenix and/or the one Merlin uses when disguising as Dragoon.
 * Odin will be referenced and his men will appear.
 * Mordred will not be referenced as "Sir Mordred".
 * The writing team remains the same as last year, but Series 5 will see more multi-stranded stories, a new approach to storytelling for the series. The producers think it will make the story feel more grown up and fresh.
 * Old Merlin, or Dragoon the Great, will return.
 * For the first time all of the show's computer generated effects will be created entirely in-house.
 * The producers say if you put Merlin of Series 5 side by side with the Merlin of Series 1, the change would be enormous.
 * Katie McGrath told in a Comic Con 2012 interview that Morgana has been held captive for 2 of the 3 years that has passed since Series 4. Her captor will be explored further on in the season. Due to this kidnapping, Morgana is not against Arthur, but everybody, and is more determined than ever.
 * Morgana referred to Aithusa as a female.
 * Colin revealed in the same interview there will be a three-year gap between Series 4 and Series 5.
 * Uther will return in some way.
 * We will see a darker side to Gwen.
 * Merlin struggles with the temptation of dark magic, particularly in relation to his telepathy with Mordred.
 * Morgana is searching for something called "Arthur's bane", due to "bane" meaning "death", it is assumed that it is related to Mordred. 
 * Gwen will meet Morgana again and they will fight.
 * The tagline for this series is "The Die is Cast".
 * The Dochraid will return, as a voice of a creepy old woman was heard in the trailer. (0.51)
 * The Dochraid casts a spell. (0.51)
 * Alvarr will return.

Main Cast

 * Merlin - Colin Morgan
 * King Arthur Pendragon - Bradley James
 * Morgana Pendragon - Katie McGrath
 * Queen Guinevere Pendragon - Angel Coulby
 * Gaius - Richard Wilson
 * Sir Gwaine - Eoin Macken
 * Sir Leon - Rupert Young
 * Sir Percival - Tom Hopper
 * Sir Elyan - Adetomiwa Edun

Recurring Cast

 * Mordred - Alexander Vlahos
 * Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon - John Hurt
 * Aithusa - Unknown Voice
 * Queen Annis - Lindsay Duncan
 * Mithian - Janet Montgomery
 * Uther Pendragon - Anthony Head
 * Dochraid - Maureen Carr (voice heard in trailer)
 * Alvarr - Joseph Mawle (voice heard in trailer)

Guest Stars

 * Ragnor- Stephen McCole
 * Saxon - Matthew Prowse
 * Sir Ranulf - James Robinson
 * Unknown Character - Ross Machin
 * Unknown Character - Liam Cunningham
 * King Rodor - James Fox
 * Unknown Character - Alfie Stewart
 * Tyr Seward - John Bradley

Cast Notes

 * For a page of villains that may return, just click here.
 * A voice that sounded a lot like Alvarr's was heard in the bad quality Series 5 trailer, although some would differ and say that it was Liam Cunningham's character.
 * Liam Cunningham has strongly hinted acting a corpse in Merlin, and meeting Richard Wilson.
 * Uther will cast as a shadow, he will still be an influence.