DailyWire+ just dropped a first look at its most ambitious project yet: “The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin.” The epic fantasy series is the first major screen adaptation of Stephen R. Lawhead’s award-winning Christian novels and premieres January 22 exclusively on DailyWire+. A profound exploration of faith, God, and the clash of eternal truths amid the relentless tides of human history that forged Christianity lies at the very heart of “The Pendragon Cycle.” “What is it to be a man? To have a mission? To believe in God and in Christ in a world not receptive to that?” asked Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing, the creator and executive producer of the series. “If God is real, He must be God of now and of then.” WATCH THE OFFICIAL TEASER: “The Pendragon Cycle” unfolds in the aftermath of Roman-occupied Britain, where the seeds of Christianity are beginning to take root in the wake of overwhelming spiritual and physical darkness. Barbarian invaders threaten to lay claim to the Island of the Mighty, and only those with faith in the true God will prevail.  Against this perilous backdrop, Merlin emerges not as the wizard we remember from typical Arthurian retellings that lean on medieval imagery and rote chivalry, but as a complex prophetic figure caught in a world of spiritual warfare, political chaos, and the dawn of Western civilization. The series was filmed across Hungary, Italy, and the Danube River valley. Multiple production diaries provided fans a glimpse of the endless challenges and the grand scope of the production, including the costumes, the stunning locations, and the epic battle scenes that take place during the series. Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to DailyWire.com/Subscribe to join now. Boreing said this project has been a lifelong dream come true.  “The Pendragon Cycle is among the largest, most ambitious independent series ever produced,” the Daily Wire co-founder said. “It represents the culmination of a ten-year vision to create culture, not just to criticize it. Lawhead’s novels present a visceral, masculine Christianity in a world of conflict and mystery. It isn’t saccharine or clean. In short, it is very much like our world. I’m so happy to share our adaptation, and the work of our remarkable cast and crew, with the Daily Wire audience.” Subscribers won’t have to wait long. While the seven-episode season officially launches in January, Daily Wire All Access members will get an early gift with the first two episodes dropping on Christmas Day. The series stars Tom Sharp as Merlin, Rose Reid as Charis, James Arden as Taliesin, Finney Cassidy as Aurelius, and Brett Cooper as Ganieda, alongside a large international cast. The filming locations bring authenticity to the stunning landscapes and gritty battles at the heart of the saga. Daily Wire CEO Caleb Robinson called the series “a true milestone” for Daily Wire Entertainment, promising audiences a story they will never forget. “We believe our audience deserves stories told with this level of craft and conviction, and we’re thrilled to finally share it with them,” Robinson said. “The Pendragon Cycle” joins a growing roster of DailyWire+ tentpole content, including other subscriber-loved projects like Matt Walsh’s documentaries “What Is A Woman?” and “Am I Racist?”, the thriller “Run Hide Fight,” and the gritty Western film “Terror on the Prairie” starring Gina Carano. 

WASHINGTON—A group of Republican veterans, reservists, and guardsmen are calling out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for putting military readiness and veteran services “at risk” during the ongoing government shutdown. In a letter sent Wednesday, led by Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger (R-Texas) and 26 of his fellow committee members, they urged Schumer and Senate Democrats to pass the House-approved “clean” continuing resolution to fund the government and prevent further damage to national defense. “By refusing to vote in favor of funding levels you and your caucus previously supported, you have made it clear to the American people that shutting down the government is justified in pursuit of your political ends, regardless of the cost to military readiness and the well-being of servicemembers and veterans,” the letter said. The letter pointed out that President Donald Trump stepped in this week and directed the Secretary of War and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to use all available funds to ensure troops were paid on October 15. “It is unconscionable to wield their paychecks as a political weapon. Commanders are focused on helping their subordinates put food on the table, instead of focusing on defending our nation and getting our soldiers combat-ready,” the letter said. Currently, 334,900 civilians with the Department of Defense are furloughed, the letter explained, which reportedly halts logistics, maintenance, and base operations. The shutdown has halted advanced training and “drastically reduced readiness and lethality,” according to the letter, which noted that Reserve and Guard drill weekends could be delayed or even canceled, “directly disrupting unit cohesion and combat preparedness.” The letter goes on to explain many other ways the military is being impacted — including Veterans Affairs. “Every military service member and veteran deserves better. We urge you to prioritize our country’s national security and the needs of our veterans over political aims,” the letter said. “Pass a clean CR to ensure military readiness and restore veterans’ benefits. Our servicemembers and veterans have sacrificed for this nation—they deserve your support, not your political games.” Speaking to The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles this week, Pfluger said this fight was personal to him, as a reservist and veteran. Reflecting on his own experience serving on active duty during previous shutdowns, he said they “hurt readiness.” “They hurt your ability to focus on the threat, on the missions, because now commanders are having to worry about where their troops, their young enlisted and young officers, how they’re going to put food on the table and take care of their families,” Pflugler told Knowles. Pfluger previously pointed to a glaring absence of Democratic leadership, asking, “Where are the veterans who served standing up to say, ‘enough is enough’?” He pressed further by questioning why Democrats with military backgrounds, or those with family members serving, aren’t stepping forward to say the same. “Why are we not doing the right thing? It’s because they’re caving and bowing down to this radical side that has shown that they have the aptitude for violence, that has shown that they have a desire for an anarchist mentality, and it’s really dangerous,” Pfluger said. Pfluger also told Knowles he thinks there’s a possibility Trump “will probably have to save the day and bring people together like he’s done, and make some sort of deal.” “But let’s make one thing clear: the prize for Democrats opening the government is not going to be ACA subsidies. We will negotiate on things like that when we get the government open, but they’re not going to hold us hostage like this and laugh at the American people …” Pfluger added. Despite the mounting pressure from veterans and Republican lawmakers, the Senate once again rejected the continuing resolution on Thursday morning, with Democrats once again blocking the measure. The government shutdown continues, with no indication of a resolution in the near future.

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