Sin City star Eva Green and The Knick’s Eve Hewson are to star in BBC Two adaptation of The Luminaries.
The pair will star in the six-part drama, produced by Working Title Television alongside New Zealand actor Marton Csokas, who starred in Lord of the Rings.
Green plays Lydia Wells, while Hewson stars as Anna Wetherell and Csokas stars as Francis Carver.
The drama is based on Eleanor Catton’s 2013 Man Booker Prize winner The Luminaries. She adapts. The period tale of adventure and mystery is set on the Wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island in the boom years of the 1860s gold rush. It’s billed as an epic story of love, murder and revenge, as men and women traveled across the world to make their fortunes.
Working Title Television will produce for BBC Two and TVNZ with Catton and WTT’s Andrew Woodhead, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner exec producing. Lucy Richer exec produces for the BBC.
Kicking off in 1865, the story follows defiant young adventurer Anna Wetherell, who has sailed from Britain to New Zealand to begin a new life. There she meets the radiant Emery Staines, an encounter that triggers a strange kind of magic that neither can explain. But Anna must survive the dangerous world, where shipwreck and murder, blackmail and betrayal, greed, gold and false imprisonment all conspire to keep her apart from Emery. The star-crossed lovers begin to wonder: Do we make our fortunes, or do our fortunes make us?
Green says, “I’m thrilled to be joining Working Title and this wonderful team. Eleanor has written a series of brilliant screenplays. I loved her original novel and it’s so exciting that her own screen adaptation reveals yet more exquisite material.”
Director Claire McCarthy added, “Ever since I read Eleanor’s incredible novel I’ve been completely captivated by the rich world she has created. What an honor to bring this beautiful and original work to the screen. I’m delighted to be joining forces with such wonderful actors and dynamic creative team.”
Andrew Woodhead, executive producer and MD at Working Title Television UK said, “It is such a privilege to work with Ellie, Claire and our New Zealand partners at Southern Light on this unique and magical story. To now have such an amazing cast led by Eva, Eve and Marton joining us on our Luminaries journey is also truly exciting and a testament to the beauty and brilliance of Ellie’s writing.”
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