NBC has formally picked up Kings to series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The project, a contemporary take on the David vs. Goliath tale, originally was ordered as a two-hour pilot, though NBC announced it as a midseason replacement at 10 p.m. Sundays at its "in-front" presentation in April.

The official series pickup was made after NBC brass saw footage from the Francis Lawrence-directed pilot, currently in production. Kings, written by Michael Green, stars Christopher Egan and Ian McShane.

Kings is set in a modern metropolis under siege where the fighting has gone on for too long and cost far too many lives. When David Shepherd (Egan), a brave young soldier, rescues the king's (McShane) son from enemy territory, he sets events in motion that will finally bring peace. Suddenly, David is thrust into the limelight, earning the affections of women -- including the king's daughter.

Sebastian Stan, Susanna Thompson and Allison Miller also star in the series from Universal Media Studios.